Marriages in India

India is known for its rich cultural heritage and diverse customs. Each religion has its own traditions and ritual. Different existing religions in the country- Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, Jewish, Buddhism, Jain and Christianity every religion has their own wedding customs. Though Indian wedding is mainly associated with the Hindu marriage ceremony, actually the Indian Marriage canopies the marriages of all the different existing religions in the country.

1.Hindu Wedding

The Hindu marriage is held in a big marquee, either in the bride's home yard or in a rented wedding hall. Different rituals are held pre marriage, on the main day and post marriage. Customs like Ganesh puja, Haldi, Sagan, Sangeet and Sagaai are held before the wedding day. On the wedding the most prominent rituals are Jaimala, Kanyadaan, Sindoor, Mangalphere and Saptapadi. Generally, Hindu Marriages are very royal and extravagant, especially the north Indian Hindu marriages held at night.

2.Muslim Wedding

Muslim weddings in India are also celebrated with equal pomp and gaiety. They have various pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding rituals. Each ritual has an important significance. In the pre-wedding rituals, Mehndi ceremony is an important function. It is mostly celebrated at the bride's home on the eve of the wedding ceremony or a few days before the wedding. On the wedding day, there are rituals like welcoming the baraat. The main wedding ritual in Muslims is the Nikaah. It is held either at the home of the bride or at any other common venue.

3.Christian Wedding

Christian wedding is a subtle and a charming affair. The ceremony is conducted in the church with the best man who is someone very close to the bridegroom, greeting the bride with a bouquet. The bride is then accompanied by the father to the altar. The groom declares his wedding vows in the presence of two witnesses from both the sides. The couple exchanges their rings and the priest blesses the newly wedded couple and declares them husband and wife.

4.Sikh Wedding

The Sikh marriages also involve different rituals and customs. The Reht Maryada, which is the official Sikh code of conduct, specifies certain guidelines that as long as both the boy and girl profess the Sikh faith and no other faith they are joined in wedlock by the Anand Karaj ceremony. The guidelines strictly forbid any sort of dowry system, astrology and any other superstitions associated with wedding date or time.

5.Parsi Wedding

In a Parsi marriage, the gathering on the marriage day is called Shahjan, the gathering for the queenly bride. The bridegroom comes first to take the seat in the room where the marriage is to be celebrated. The bride comes later. The Parsi lagan or marraige is called Achumichu', which takes place either at a Baug or at an Agiary.

6.Buddhist Wedding

The Buddhist marriage in accordance with its principles is very simple and sober. With no religious obligations like horoscopes and astrology and no social obligations like feast and grandeur, the Buddhist marriage is more a family affair than a social or religious one. There is no hard-lined ritual for a Buddhist wedding ceremony; however people generally visit the temple and take blessings from the monks to solemnize the marriage.

7.Jewish Wedding

The Jewish wedding ritual can be divided into two basic phases- the kiddushinor engagement phase and nissu'in or the actual wedding. While kiddushin leads to a change in the conjugal status of the bride and groom, nissu'in or the actual wedding is important to bring a legal change. Kiddushin is a ring ceremony where the groom places a ring on the bride's right index finger and the bride just clenches her fist to show her acceptance.

8.Jain Wedding

Marriage is considered to be very pious in Jain religion. As the Jain community does not believe in wasting time and money over the pomp and show of marriage, they Jain marriage is comparatively a less extravagant and more ritualistic affair. The most important rituals of Jain Wedding Ceremony are Phere, Kanyavaran, Havan and Granthi Bandhan. Once these four rituals are completed, the wedding of the couple is said to have been solemnized.

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