Give it any name Vivaah, Nikaah, Anant-Karaj, Biyah, Kalyanam or Lagan, wedding has always been an inseparable part of Indian traditions and down rooted in soul of India.
Wedding is considered to be a holy, pious and joyous custom which is an integral part of Indian populace. We have known since we grew up about Sikh wedding, Maharashtrian wedding or Tamilian wedding but there are other regions whose wedding ceremonies are equally splendid, extravagant and sacred. Let’s have a quick looks on each of the regions of India’s infamous yet beautiful weddings.
ASSAMESE WEDDING
Pre Wedding Rituals
The pre wedding rituals of Assamese include Juron ceremony, Pani Tola, Nuani tradition and Tel Diya custom.
Just a day before the main wedding, Juron is performed wherein the bride is blessed by in-law family which signifies the acceptance of groom’s side. Members of groom’s family visit bride’s place and greets there all the ladies and xhorai is being received by groom’s mother which is a brass plate with a stem from bride's mother.
Another custom is Tel Diya, wherein a ring and betel is placed on bride’s hair parting. The uniqueness of this marriage is Sindoor-daan which is performed on Juron by bride’s mother in law and gives the wedding trousseau, the traditional Assamese dress known as Mekhla Chadar.
In Pani Tola is a custom where both mothers exchange holy water for wedded to be couple.
In Nuani tradition, the bride takes holy bath to prepare herself for the wedding.
The Wedding
The wedding day begins with the ceremonial bath of the couple. It is a ritual for respective mothers to visit the nearby river and collect holy water. After this, reception takes place, wherein all the guests are being invited to bless the bride and being served mouth watering traditional cuisine primarily Fish.
After all these customs, in the evening, Groom comes to bride’s home and subsequently, the bride's mother welcomes him along with sisters of bride who wash his feet. Right before stepping in for wedding puja, Bride is given a mixture of ghee, curd, honey, sugar and raw milk known as Panchamrit.
In front of holy fire, wedding vows are taken and garlands are exchanged amidst enchanting mantras and blown up conch shells. Afterwards, groom puts vermillion in bride's forehead.
Wedding Attire: white silk kurta and dhoti for groom and off-white silk mekhla chadar for bride.
Cuisines: Ducks, Pigeons, Pork and Fishes are main highlights of this wedding and Pitha (dish made up of Rice-paste) is served as Special Dessert.
Jewellery: Barpeta is a must have during wedding stint.
KASHMIRI WEDDING
Alike beautiful hinterland, Kashmiri wedding ceremonies of the state is quite simple and composed. Kashmir is known to be heaven of India and this part of northern India has the most beautiful wedding customs just like the beauty of this state. This wedding ceremony is not earsplitting but truly royal. Kashmiri wedding is a prolonged affair which involves some pre and post wedding rituals to be performed.
Pre Wedding Rituals
The wedding ceremony starts with an engagement ceremony known as Vanna. Wedding alliance is finalized by the families in a temple. Livun ritual is a custom of purification of home and then decorated with flowers, lights and other ornaments for wedding rituals to perform. Prior to the wedding takes place Sangeet Ceremony known as Wanuwun followed by Maanziraat.
Another major attraction of this wedding is 51 thaals consisting dry fruits, sweets, fruits, ghee which is presented to groom’s family by bride’s family as Shagun of sweetness for this holy alliance. Maternal uncle of the bride washes her feet in a ceremonial bath. Then, the bride is decorated with delicate flowers and other delicate ornaments which are bestowed to the bride by groom’s family just before wedding.
Diugun is performed, which is their way of celebrating Haldi Ceremony for the couple. In this ritual a special assortment is prepared with curd, gram flour and saffron, followed by a bath. Bride is then gifted her dijaru, an ear ornament, which is the sign of a marriage. With Sanzvaru, groom gifts bride an ensemble of cosmetics, mirror, sindoor and a betel leaf covered with gold or silver foil. Finally in the ceremony of Duribaati, couple seeks blessing of Lord Shiva!
The Wedding
With the procession of wedding, the couple are fed nabad and a dwar puja is conducted before going to the mandap for wedding ceremony. Wedding takes place with enchanted mantras and blessings of elders taking saat pheras which is a must in Indian wedding. After this the couple feeds each other with rice and finally the Vidai ceremony takes place, as per which the bride leaves for her marital home with her husband.
Two pigeons are fed just after wedding at groom’s house as a part of wedding celebration. Alike pagphera is the Satraath as per which it is custom wherein bride visits her parental home alongwith groom and younger ones of her in-law house, followed by Phirlath. Roth Khabar is again a custom that is followed on following Saturday or Tuesday after the wedding wherein the bride's parents send, one meter long and two and a half meters wide cake, decorated with nuts, to the groom's house. Usually an odd number of cakes are sent. Then the bride visits her parents with the person who brought the cakes. After this, the groom's family sends somebody to fetch the bride back.
Wedding Attire: Bride here wears pheran with heavy Zari, embroidery on the hem line, around pockets and mostly on the collar area whereas usually wear Achkan or Sherwani with Paazar (heavy embroidered shoes).
Cuisines: Popularly Wazwan is served during wedding which is a multi course meal with meat, rice and gravy vegetables. Others are Rogan Josh, Yakhini and Harissa. Kahwah is also served which is Saffron tea.
Jewellery: Usually gold jewels are put on this D-day along with head gear known as Kasaba for bride and a broad belt and sword is must for groom.
TELUGU WEDDING
Pre Wedding Rituals
Wedding in telugu regions starts with Pendlikoothuru ritual, which is basically Haldi Rasam of wedding applying turmeric and oil to the couple for glittery glow on the day of wedding. In the Snathakam ritual it is observed, groom wears a silver thread for life on pre wedding ritual of his D-day.The fun filled custom of Kashi Yatra, showcases groom pretending to leave for Kashi but is being allured by bride’s brother promising himalliance of groom with his sister as wedding.
The Wedding
The day of wedding sunrises with Mangala Snanam wherein, couple takes holy bath for their auspicious day followed by Aarti is performed at their respective places. Gauri puja is done by the bride afterwards to seek the blessings of Goddess Parvati. Just before the wedding, groom performs Ganesh Puja at wedding venue requesting his idol to remove all upcoming obstacles of marriage.Alike Maharashtrian wedding, couple has a curtain between them as the bride arrives on his maternal uncle’s lap with enchanted mantras by the priests.
No marriage in India is complete without Mahadaan of Kanyadaan. It is a ritual wherein bride’s father agrees to give his daughter to groom and asks him to promise to take care of her daughter till eternity. This heart-wrenching yet holy tradition is accustomed here as well after which curtain is removed and groom ties Mangalsutra with three knots to the bride.
To celebrate the auspicious deed of wedding, couple showers yellow colored rice to each other in ceremony called Talambraalu and family members shower flowers to the newlyweds in Kanya Daan Akshata ceremony. Then, in Saptapadi ritual couple takes seven vows around the sacred fire. Subsequently, Sthaalipaakam is performed by groom wherein he slips silver toe ring in bride’s feet.
After all the wedding rituals are performed at bride’s place and Vidaai is accustomed. The bride enters her new house for the first time for Grihapravesh ceremony where she is welcomed by members of groom’s family with blessings and gifts.
Wedding Attire: Plain white dhotis with fine, thin borders with elaborately and intricate embroidery with the use of sequins or gold colored threads and kurtas with embroidery close to the neckline is traditional apparel for groom and bride wears special silk saree of either Kalamkari fabric or dharmavaram or ikkat or gadwal region which are with heavy work.
Cuisines: A typical meal in Andhra cuisine consists of a combination of cooked rice, dal (pappu), curry, pickles (pachadi), yogurt (perugu) or buttermilk (majjiga), and papadum (appadam), Chewing paan
Jewellery: Lakshmi Kasu mala, short pure gold necklace with muvvalu, Fusion work ruby studded long chain and enamel paint finishing gold simple sets, Paired with traditional peacock gold vaddanam, arm band and double step jhumkas, gold bangles.