Indian Wedding

Wedding celebration is an integral

part in life for all Indians.

The Hindu wedding ceremony has a number of rituals and customs, each symbolic of beautiful and noble sentiments. As one enters the place or venue of ceremony of a South Indian wedding, one notice things such as full-grown plantain trees tied to both the gateposts, festoons overhead of mango leaves, and screw-pine petals that never fade, notes of the Nadaswaram, the South Indian Shehnai, Kolam or Rangoli designs at the doorsteps and the like.

Wedding invitations are distributed to relatives and friends few months before the actual wedding day. They are presented on a plate filled with betel leaves, saffron and

turmeric powder.

Wedding invitation

Indian weddings are held in temples or temple halls. Well decorated Pallanquin is then set up for the

bride and groom.

Auspicious things like flowers, turmeric powder, saffron, betel leaves, rose water are used to decorate the wedding stage. These things

symbolically represent the happy life the couples would live in future.

Wedding is officiated with customary practices by a temple priest chosen for

the wedding.

Oil lamps are lit on the wedding stage to win over darkness with brightness. This

symbolically represents the bright marriage life for the couple.

Special wedding hair styling and bangles on both hands brings out

the outstanding beauty of the bride.

Jewelleries and specially selected saree will be offered to the bride

for the wedding.

Herna drawn hands are also part of the decorating the bride.

Selected auspicious tree is planted.

At the marriage hall, the bride's father and the bridegroom's father facing each other, formalize the final betrothal ceremony, as the Vedic priest chants the appropriate hymns in which the names of the bride, the bridegroom, as well as the names of their 3 generations of ancestors, are cited in presence of all the friends, relatives, and guests

The Marriage"MUHURTHAM" IS THE ACTUAL MARRIAGE WHERE THE GROOM TIES A MANGALASUTRA(A GOLD PENDANT IS THREADED ONTO A THICK TURMERIC THREAD) AROUND THE NECK OF THE BRIDE AMIDST THE CHANTING OF MANTRAS BY THE HINDU PRIEST SEATED IN FRONT OF A FIRE IN THE FLOWER BEDECKED MANDAP AS FAMILY AND FRIENDS SHOWER THEM WITH RICE MIXED WITH TURMERIC(SIGNIFIES BLESSING THE COUPLE).NADASWARAM(TRADITIONAL LIVE MUSIC TO HERALD THE EVENT) IS BELTED OUT TO SIGNIFY THE TYING OF THE MANGALASUTRA.

The auspicious string is tied around the neck of the bride, to the beat of a traditional music. The

traditionally married couple are then blessed with the showering of flowers and yellow rice by

well-wishers.

Newly married couple.

After the auspicious string is tied, the groom puts a ring on the foot of

the bride.

Foot ring

Couple exchange garlands.

The groom dots the KUMKUM on the bride’s forehead.

Bride’s father offers her daughter’s hand to the groom. To officiate that he gives the

coconut to the groom.

The couple continue with the customary proceedings.

Couple exchange garlands.

Relatives and friends bless the couple.

Wedding feast

THE MARRIAGE FEAST IS EAGERLY AWAITED BY ALL BECAUSE OF THE VARIETY OF EATS WHICH ARE TRADITIONALLY PREPARED FOR A MARRIAGE.THREE TO FOUR VARIETIES OF SWEETS IS A MUST ALONG WITH DELICIOUSLY PREPARED RICE ITEMS SUCH AS PULAV,PULIYOGARE(TAMARIND RICE),POORIS,CHUTNEYS,VEGETABLE PALIYAS,PAPPADS,VADAS,KOOTUS,CURD RICE,PICKLES,ETC,...COURSE BY COURSE IS SERVED ON A LARGE PLANTAIN LEAF AND EVERYONE EATS WITH THEIR HAND.TOWARDS THE END OF THE MEAL,A DESIGNER PACKET CONTAINING A LARGE COCONUT,BETEL LEAVES AND NUTS ARE HANDED OVER TO ELDERS PRESENT TO BE TAKEN HOME.

Serving the wedding feast.

Relatives and friends waiting to offer their gifts to the couple.

After the wedding ceremony is over, relatives and friends are helping

themselves to the feast.

Thank You