Essentials For Hindu Wedding Ceremony
Jan 05, 2017
by
Prerna Malhan
While most of the pre wedding rituals of a Hindu wedding involve fun ceremonies, food, dance and spending time with guests, the actual wedding ceremony is where it gets real. As the guests gorge on scrumptious treats, the bride and groom are engrossed in the rituals conducted according to the Hindu tradition. The materials required for such a wedding can be a long list, but we’ve shortened it into a convenient checklist for you! Read on..
1. Mandap
After the exchange of the jaymala (or varmala), a garland of flowers, the couple move into the mandap for the wedding ceremony to be conducted by a priest. The mandap, originally the temple porch, is a platform set up where the priest, and the bride and groom sit and perform the rituals necessary to get married. Traditional mandaps are decorated with kalashes (pots of water filled with holy water), marigolds and coconut leaves.
2.Thali
A metal plate is required to hold the images of the gods that are meant to officiate the ceremony (Laxmi and Ganesha are included for sure). The thaali should have an oil lamp and a container to hold sindoor and rice, which are offered to the fire.
Photograph by Tarun Chawla Photography
3. Havan Fire
The fire at a Hindu wedding ceremony is a purifier of the relationship that begins with the rituals. The consecrated fire is extremely sacred- a number of items like rice and ghee are offered to the fire.
Photograph by Tarun Chawla Photography
4. Flowers, Sindoor and Sweets
The Sindoor signifies the union of the couple- the mandap is the first place the groom applies sindoor to the bride’s forehead.
The mithai signals a sweet beginning to the new relationship the couple enters into.
The flowers are used by the relatives to shower the couple with their blessings and good luck as the couple take their pheras.
Photograph by Tarun Chawla Photography
5. Rice
In Hindu religion, rice has a spiritual significance and is sprinkled over the newly wed couple to bless them for a happily ever after.
Photograph by Tarun Chawla Photography
6. Coconut
Coconut or Nariyal is a resilent fruit with unique features. The shell covering the coconut is removed as a symbol of breaking the ego. No Hindu puja is complete without the use of a coconut.
Photograph by The Wedding Story
