Getting Hitched Soon? Learn About All the Customs and Traditions Involved in Indian Marriages

Indian marriages are a feast to one’s eyes and to witness them right from the start is an experience to cherish for a lifetime. And so is the search for a prospective groom or bride through a matrimony website. Every marriage in India is a royal affair on its own and is generally rife with colourful events and vibrant festivities which span for quite a few days. While the crux of a successful Indian marriage ritual is characterised as the union of two souls, in respect of emotions, physical and spiritual; it is also the union of two families becoming one through culture-rich celebrations and prayers.

Here we have compiled all the important traditions and customs that are included in all Indian marriages and make them a dazzling event.

The Indian Marriage Rituals and Everything You Should Know About It

Indian weddings are incomplete with rituals, and in India, the marriage rituals differ from one region to another. They also vary based on caste, community, race, and families. But you would be taken aback to learn, several rituals are adhered to in almost every Indian matrimony irrespective of caste, family, and boundaries.

Some of those rituals are:

Haldi Ceremony

This ritual is observed in both the families of the bride and groom where dollops of turmeric, water, and oil mixture are lathered on their skin and clothes. Turmeric since the ancient days have had multiple scientific properties and are known for their moisturising quality which helps the skin to glow and become radiant just before their marriage.

Saat-Pheras (Seven Rounds) Around the Holy Fire

This ritual is associated with being quite pious. It is one of the crucial parts of an Indian marriage after choosing the best marriage services online to look for bride and groom. And the concept of seven rounds is prevalent all over the world but in different ways of course. In India, a piece of the bride’s wedding attire is tied with the groom to mark the strong and resistant bond between the couple. The couple then moves around the holy fire seven times with the priest chanting hymns.

Tying of the Sacred Thread or Mangalsutra By The Groom

Mangal in other words denotes auspicious, whereas Sutra implies thread. In this ritual, a sacred thread is tied around the bride’s neck by the groom during the wedding rituals. The thread is inclusive of a couple of black bead strings and a beautiful pendant. The beads are said to be blessed by the Vedic mantras and are known to strengthen the bonds between a husband and wife. This sacred thread is also tied around the bride’s neck as it is believed to have multiple health and wealth implications on her.

According to the Hindu traditions, the key role of incorporating happiness and peace and making a family complete rests upon the woman of the house.

Parental Roles in Indian Marriages

If you ever attend an Indian marriage, you will be surprised at the sheer number of responsibilities and roles being shouldered out by the parents and family members of both the brides and groom’s side. Right from selecting the prospective bride or groom a matrimonial site after several considerations to making the wedding a success, their role in Indian marriages is limitless.

Bride’s Side of Parents

The bride’s parents play a major role in almost all types of marriages around the world including India, given how they are bound to hand over their daughter’s responsibility to the groom through rituals and customs. In marriage ceremonies, the families of a bride double as the key hosts. They indulge in all the key roles; starting from welcoming the guests to planning the wedding location, to chalking out the menu and deciding on the budget.

The Role of a Bride’s Father

The bride’s father along with other male family members are responsible for making the final decisions.

The Role of a Bride’s Mother

A mother’s side of the bride's family usually takes up the role of a liaison who makes the overall planning of the marriage. They are the ones who along with other female members does the communication part with the groom’s families after the shortlisting process is completed from matrimonial services.

Giving Away of The Bride or Kanyadaan

The Kanyadaan is one of the integral parts of an Indian marriage, which is also filled with bereavement. This ritual is carried out by the bride’s father, where he hands over his daughter’s hand to his son-in-law. This ritual induced a mixed-bag of emotions and marks the significant and emotional journey of both the bride and her father.

The Seven Holy Vows of Indian Marriage

A typical Indian marriage includes moving around the holy fire seven times. The bride and groom take seven rounds around the holy fire which is lit by the priest, while he continues to recite hymns and chants from Vedas to shower blessings on the couples and sanctify their marital relationship.

Every round from the seven rounds includes a single vow between the bride and the groom which are:

• The provision for sustenance and an equal bearing of responsibility.

• A strong pillar and support at all times; good and bad.

• To practice loyalty for each other and to be able to provide basic education to offspring.

• Respect and value for every family member of both sides.

• A decent lineage and also prayers for the holistic wellbeing of every single living being existing on Earth.

• Prayers for a happy and healthy life, free of diseases and all types of ailments.

• The couple then bows before the Supreme Almighty and seeks relationship enrichment through abundant love, loyalty, compassion, and understanding.

A typical Indian wedding looks complicated with so many customs and traditions at play. But it eases out, as you keep your focus solely on the love and enthusiasm shared by both the respective families of bride and groom to make the wedding a royal affair on their terms. Every custom and tradition that is involved in an Indian wedding right from the searching of bride and groom on matrimonial services have some kind of significance attached to it.

Source: https://www.matrimonialsindia.com/blog/what-traditions-and-customs-make-up-for-a-successful-indian-marriage.htm