Hindu marriage ( wedding ) is a special bonding between two person’s souls becoming one . It’s not just confined to two persons but also a bonding between two families. It’s a moment to become one soul from two When we move outside India ,the meaning of the marriages change.
The auspiciousness through which we see Hindu wedding India is different from other countries .After marriage the couple go through multiple divorces outside India which is very uncommon in India because the lens through which we see marriage in India is not same as the marriage which we see outside India or in different religions .
In our Shastras or scriptures there is no mention of divorce because nothing like divorce exists in Hinduism or
Marriage is considered to be a special ritual in Hinduism. During rituals, the bride and the groom take vows Of not letting each other in any circumstances. The rituals that happen during marriage plays a divine role in bride and groom’s life.
According to Hindu calendar, there are two Paksha
One is called as Shukla paksha whereas another one is called as Krishna Paksha. Most of the marriages take place in Shukla Paksha . Marriage or Hindu wedding takes place in which month or in which date or in which Muharata plays a vital role according to Hinduism.
These are not superstitions but complete science which revolves around it . From thousands of years ago , we know through Hindu scriptures or Shastra and now it has been scientifically proven that planetary movement going on in space has a direct impact on our life. So doing something auspicious when the planetary position is not accurate or not in the right place then it can Impact our life or body adversely. That’s why it’s been recommended to do things at the right time Specially the Marriages .
The rituals which are being followed in Hindu wedding have a great impact on the bride or groom’s life . Not even a single ritual that happens during marriages is unscientific. And this is the big reason why Hindu marriages stay forever .
Let us now go through the main rituals which happen during marriages .
Roka ceremony
This is the beginning or the first step towards getting married . The word Roka itself defines the roka ceremony . Getting engaged with each other in such a way that there is no space for any male or female in their life . Now they are ready to dedicate their whole life for each other .
And this is the time when their families officially meet with each other and do a lot of talks regarding marriage . Both families exchange sweets and gifts with each other and Show their respects . Put the Tilak on the bride and groom’s forehead and wish them good luck for their coming futures .
Rings are exchanged between bride and groom and this is basically known as the ring ceremony which goes with the roka ceremony in many families . During Puja, the priest invokes the God and goddess through mantras and passes the blessing to the bride and groom .
The presence of the brother or the Cousin of the bride is a must in this ceremony because he is the one who has to perform the pooja and put the Tilak on the groom’s forehead . The Mantras or the slokas are being chanted by the priest to make it auspicious . During the ceremony, women from the groom’s side Sing many traditional (songs) which are specially dedicated to this special ceremony .
Menhadi ceremony
As we all know that during marriages or Hindu wedding, there is a lot of work or preparation that needs to be done for functions due to which there is less time to sleep at night for every member in the family .
Sleepless night causes headache, nausea etc . Especially for the bride because she is the one who has to go through many rituals . So to make her cool down , the Mehndi ceremony plays a vital role in her life .
Menhadi ceremony
Mehandi has a property of cooling down the body temperature ,free from headache or nausea . The bride applies Mehandi on both of her hand and Leg . There are different kinds of designs which are made on the bride’s hands and legs . Not just the bride applies mehndi on her hand but also the women in the family apply mehndi on her hand .
During the mehndi ceremony , Sangeet plays an essential part . All family members dance together In full masti . Some of them perform solo dances on Bollywood songs Which become memorable moments for everyone in his/her life . A big smile can be seen on everyone’s face during the dance .
Haldi ceremony
Everyone must have been aware of the fact that the HALDI or turmeric has the healing properties . The healing properties of haldi or turmeric are well defined in Ayurveda .
Haldi has been used as a beauty product since ancient times . To bring glow on the skin or lightening up the skin , nothing is more suitable than haldi and that’s the reason haldi ceremony is important in Marriage .
Haldi made at home is generally used for marriages or Hindu wedding . This homemade Haldi is smeared on the bride or groom’s skin by family members So that the skin can get lightened up And give it a new look . In some families , only the married couple are allowed to apply haldi on the bride or the groom’s body or skin .
During the haldi ceremony , the family members used to play Holi with haldi Which looks very fascinating and very attractive . The kind of jokes passed on during marriages can make you laugh In such a way that you may feel pain in your stomach . The level of happiness and Madness which you will see in marriages will just blow your mind .
Jaimala ceremony
This ceremony is considered to be the most lovable ceremony because here the role of beautification comes into the picture for both the bride’s and the groom’s . After lightning up with haldi they make themselves ready for Jaimala .
Every girl has a dream of wearing a lehenga of her own choice in her marriage or in Hindu wedding . Bride adorning herself with her favourite lehenga , with favourite jewellery (specially of gold made ) , favourite accessories , favourite bangles ,Favourite maang-tika , and whatnot . The list is uncountable .
She looks the most beautiful woman in the world during her marriage .No Words can describe the beauty of a bride in just two or three lines .The Groom too looks stunning in his marriage ,after all he is getting what he has wished for , his love of life .
When baraat comes at the door of the bride’s residence , the male members of the bride’s family put garlands into the male members of the groom’s family’s neck . This ritual is called samdhi Milan .
Now the entry of the bride comes into the picture with great gaiety which is completely a priceless moment for everyone . The bride and the groom come on the stage and put the garland into each other’s neck With a great smile on their face .
Mandap ceremony
After Jaiamala , the bride and the groom have to sit together in Mandap and do the rituals . Mandap is a kind of canopy which has four pillars and these four pillars are made up from bamboos and are decorated with attractive flowers .
What is kanyadaan ?
Kanyadan is done by the bride’s father . We do Daan of those which are very dear to our hearts And daughter is someone who is very dear to a father’s heart . No one can take the place of a daughter in a father’s life . So that’s why this Daan is called as Maha Daan .
What is Agni- Phere ?
In Agni phere , the bride and the groom have to walk around the holy fire to take the vows of keeping each other happy . The question arises why both of them have to take the vows In presence of Agni??
According to Ayurveda the human body have significantly four kinds of fire in which Jatharagni is the most prominent fire . Due to the presence of jatharagni ,the digestion process occurs in our body .
In the absence of Jatharagni , a human body cannot survive . And that is why , the Agni becomes the witness of the bride and the groom’s vows of “ Jab tak is Agni ka vaas is Sharir mein rahega tab tak tum meri jeevansangini Bankar Rahoge “ . In english “ Till the time the Agni exists in my body you will be my better half “ .
During Sindoor Bharai , the groom put the Sindoor (vermillion) on the hair partition Of his bride . This Sindoor indicates that the bride has now committed to one person in her life forever and the groom too is committed to one person in his life . And this is how the Mandap ceremony rituals end .
Vidaai ceremony
In Hindu wedding this is the last ceremony of the marriage in which the bride and grooms take the blessings of family members by touching their feet and also take the blessings of the God and goddess for their new beginning of life .
Leaving the house where the bride has spent her whole life is the toughest task to do . A lot of emotions come out from everyone’s heart When the bride leaves the house . You will not find even a single person without Tears in her/his eyes . And this is how the Vidaai ceremony goes on .
Conclusion
Hindu wedding is not just a word or steps to be followed but an emotion or completely indulged with scientific reasons which can not be denied . It is a pious relationship between two family and couple which last forever .