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Sikh Wedding:
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In a Sikh Indian wedding, the wedding ambiance is set a week before the wedding. There are
various rituals, which are followed before and after the wedding. Shagun or engagement is
the first ceremony to mark the beginning of the wedding celebration. On this occasion the
two families exchange gifts to conform the engagement. Among the pre wedding rituals
engagement is the occasion where both the families meet and the bride's father takes care
of all the ceremonial activities on this day. Various auspicious items are required on this
day that includes coconut, dry dates, sugar and money and these are sent to the groom's
family. It is also called the Tilak ceremony, which is performed by a bhaiji or preacher
from the Gurudwara who first reads the hymn, offers a date to the groom and applies tilak
on his forehead, marking the engagement. After the tilak ceremony, the groom's father sends
gifts of clothes, sugar, coconut, rice, jewelry and henna to the bride. Similarly the bride's
father also offers gifts to the groom and his family members. Another important pre wedding
ritual involves the bangle ceremony or the choora ceremony, which is held at the bride's
place where the maternal uncle and aunt of the bride put white and red bangles on the bride's
wrists. Light ornaments of beaten silver and gold called kalira are tied to the bangles.
Maiya is a pre wedding Sikh custom followed by the bride and the groom where both are not
allowed to leave their house for few days before the wedding. Gana is another such ritual
where an auspicious red thread is tied to the right wrist of the groom and the left wrist
of the bride. It is regarded as a good omen for the bride and the groom and it protects them
from ill omen. Vatna is a ritual celebrated a few days before the wedding ceremony where
vatna a scented powder consisting of barley flour, turmeric and mustard oil is applied to
their bodies to be followed by a ritual bath. On the eve of the wedding, mehndi ceremony
is celebrated when henna is applied on the hands and feet of the bride. Gharoli is another
such pre wedding ritual, which is celebrated in the morning of the wedding day at groom's
place in which the groom's sister-in law accompanied by other female relatives go to a nearby
well or Gurudwara to fill an earthen pitcher or gharoli with water which is later used to
bath the bridegroom.
The main day wedding ritual or ceremony includes Milni ceremony, which is celebrated at the
groom's place where his sisters tie a sehera or floral veil to the boy's forehead and a
garland of currency notes adorn his neck. On reaching the bride's house the milni ceremony
is held with the elders of both families embracing and wishing each other. Shabads are sung
and the ardaas recited as the procession enters the Gurudwara breakfast is served to the
guests.
On the main wedding function the bride and the groom sit together to attend the Guru Granth
Sahib Kirtan. The groom drapes a chunni draped by the bride's father one end held by groom,
which is usually red, pink and orange in color around his neck, the other end of which is
held by the bride throughout the ceremony. The bhaiji of the Gurudwara recites the hymns
from the Guru Granth Sahib, which are then sung and the bride and groom circle the Guru
Granth Sahib. The bridegroom walks ahead of the bride with a sword in his hand. Relatives
and friends garland the newly wedded couple and the marriage ceremony concludes with a grand
feast.
Among the post wedding rituals the vidaai or doli ceremony marks the end of the wedding
celebration. It is a very emotional affair for the bride's family as she departs from her
parent's house she throws back handful of rice over her shoulder, thereby wishing prosperity
for her parents and family she leaves behind to start a new life with new dreams and
aspirations.
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