Punjabi Wedding Ceremony
Punjabis are large hearted people who love splendor and grandeur. They are also keen on festivals and celebrations. This nature of Punjabis also reflects in their marriage celebrations. Like other Indian weddings, a Punjabi marriage ceremony is very ritualistic but also full of fun and frolic. It is in fact one of the most colorful and musical marriage ceremonies in the country. Each ceremony is like an excuse for merriment. A Punjabi Wedding is very vibrant and celebrated like a big carnival, exhibiting splendid grandeur.
A Punjabi wedding ceremony begins with Roka which is very much like an engagement ceremony where both the family for the first time formally announces the prospective marriage. The Roka is then followed by celebrations like ‘Sagan’ and ‘Chunni Chadana’ performed at the groom’s and bride’s family respectively. The joy of a Punjabi wedding begins with the Sangeet and Mehndi ceremony from where the real fun and frolic starts. Bhangras and Giddas make a Punjabi wedding more colorful. Like other Hindu weddings phere and kanyadaan are important rituals of a Punjabi Wedding. A Punjabi Wedding ceremony solemnizes with Mangal Pheras and the bride is departed to her in laws home that very day.
Pre Wedding Punjabi Ritual
Punjabi marriage traditions are very elaborate and ritualistic. They begin days before the actual wedding day in the form of pre-wedding ceremonies. Roka is the first pre-wedding ceremony where the two families formally meet to finalize the relationship between the two families. Roka is then followed by a series of colorful and interesting occasions like ‘Sagan and Chunni Chadhana’.
Punjabi Wedding Rituals
Punjabi Wedding ceremony is an interesting ceremony full of several rituals and customs. The wedding preparations start day before the actual wedding ceremony. Overall, a Punjabi wedding is very vibrant and colorful. The wedding ceremony starts from the Chuda ceremony and at the groom’s place with Vatna ceremony.
Post-Wedding Punjabi Rituals
Punjabis love celebrations. Their marriage ceremonies are thus extremely grand and elaborate. Even after few days of marriage, the celebrations at the groom’s and bride’s places are on. The post wedding celebrations start right after the solemnization of marriage at the Mandap. Preparations for Vidaai and Ashwirwad ceremony go hand in hand. Once the couple is blessed by all the elderly people at home, the brother of the bride accompanies the couple for Vidaai to the main exit of their home.
Bridal Accessories
Your wedding is just around the corner and, just like any other bride, you want to look your best on the D-day, mainly because it is the most important occasion of your life. Another reason you cannot afford to goof-up on the day is that all the eyes (of the guests) will be on your only. Apart from your dress, it is the accessories that help give you the perfect look on the wedding day. So, ensure that you select them with care and coordinate them perfectly with your wedding day outfit. In case you need any help, make use of the tips given below, in relation to accessories for the Indian bride.
Choosing Indian Bridal Accessories
Jewelry
Jewelry forms the most important aspect of Indian bridal accessories. You need to make sure that it goes with the color as well as the type of your dress – lehenga or sari. For instance, if you have silver embroidery on your sari, wearing yellow-gold based jewelry will make you look really odd. Rather, you need to go for something in white gold, platinum or even silver. If you cannot afford to buy matching jewelry, the option of hiring is always available.
Shoes
Yet another accessory that needs a lot of attention on your part comprises of the shoes. They can make or mar your overall look completely. So, select them with due consideration, keeping in mind the color as well as style of your outfit. At the same time, remember, you will be standing for a long duration of time, in the wedding. So, comfort is one aspect that you cannot simply afford to overlook, while buying shoes for the wedding day.
Bag
After jewelry and shoes, comes the handbag that you will be carrying. Please do not carry a plain-looking bag and end up spoiling the whole look. In an Indian wedding, the outfit of the bride is very rich, in terms of color, fabric as well as embroidery. So, you need to buy a bag that goes with the overall look of opulence. If you do not like being too glitzy or carrying a colorful bag, opting for one in silver, golden or copper will be a good option.
Hair Accessories
One of the main hair accessories that Indian brides go for comprises of flowers. In fact, in many of the cultures, adorning hair with flowers is a compulsion for the bride. Apart from that, you can go for other accessories as well, such as pins with little roses made on them or with a glitzy ball as the head. It will surely help add to the overall bridal look.
Some General Tips
- One of the most important tips that you need to keep in mind, while selecting the bridal accessories, is that it should go with your overall personality. Remember that this is most special day of your life and you need to make it as personalized as possible.
- In case you have opted for a theme wedding, the accessories will need to be selected accordingly. Not doing the same will make you look out of place. And we are sure that you would not want that to happen, at least on your own wedding day.
- The bridal accessories that you go for should complement your outfit and add to the overall look that you want to create. It is always advisable to go for colors similar to the wedding dress, so that the accessories do not end up catching all the attention.
- Last, but not the least, you need to keep your comfort in mind. Indian wedding is a lengthy affair and unless and until you feel comfortable, you will not be able to enjoy it. So, make sure that you do not end up compromising comfort, in favor of style.
Seven Vows Of Marriage
Hindu wedding is all about rituals and customs, which teach us the actual essence of a blissful married life. The seven vows of marriage symbolize seven promises, which are sworn by the bride and the groom during the auspicious ceremony of wedding. During the marriage, a sacred fire is created with ghee and wooden sticks, in order to evoke Agni (fire god), which serves as the witness to the ritual of seven vows. The priest, who conducts the wedding, chants Vedic mantras. Amidst the blazing fire of the havankund and the chanting of mantras, the bride and the groom pledge their commitment to each other, for the lifetime. Known as Saptapadi/pheras, seven vows is a beautiful ritual observed in Hindu marriages, although the act of taking the seven vows varies from region to region, in India.
People following Hinduism believe that if a married couplewalks seven steps around the fire of the havankund, they will remain together for the lifetime. Generally, before taking the seven vows, the bride is seated to the right hand side of the groom. After taking the pheras, the bride shifts to the left side of the groom – this symbolizes that she is now closer to his heart. In most of the Hindu weddings, the newly married couple takes seven pheras, with the exception of Gujaratisand Sindhis, who take four pheras around the sacred fire. In the majority of the seven pheras, the groom leads the first four pheras, while he is preceded by the bride during the last three pheras. Given below are the meanings of the seven vows of marriage.
Seven Vows In Hindu Wedding
- The bride and the groom take the first step of the seven vows to pledge that they would provide a prospered living for the household or the family that they would look after and avoid those that might hinder their healthy living.
- During the second step of the seven pheras, the bride and the groom promise that they would develop their physical, mental and spiritual powers in order to lead a lifestyle that would be healthy.
- During the third vow, the couple promises to earn a living and increase by righteous and proper means, so that their materialistic wealth increases manifold.
- While taking the fourth vow, the married couple pledges to acquire knowledge, happiness and harmony by mutual love, respect, understanding and faith.
- The fifth vow is taken to have expand their heredity by having children, for whom, they will be responsible. They also pray to be blessed with healthy, honest and brave children.
- While taking the sixth step around the sacred fire, the bride and the groom pray for self-control of the mind, body and soul and longevity of their marital relationship.
- When the bride and the groom take the seventh and the last vow, they promise that they would be true and loyal to each other and would remain companions and best of friends for the lifetime.