Hindu weddings always have their traditional rituals at their forefront. One of such is the Marwari wedding ceremony. Clearly, this wedding has its history in ancient times; the conservative Marwari families in India still follow every rules of marriage. Other than dowry and other types of evil practices, Marwari marriage is a very gorgeous and glossy marriage. The step by step rituals are as follow:

Great bonding with time and space:

• The Marwari marriage starts with the engagement ceremony. The official bonding of not only two people but two absolutely different families; the ceremony is thoroughly known as Mudha-Tika. The groom’s family and his relatives visit the bride’s house on this day of engagement.

• The groom’s mother is not permitted to participate in the engagement ceremony. In some Marwari families even other motherly relatives are thoroughly restricted from participating in the groom’s marriage ceremony.

• The groom’s brother and male family relatives bring along a silver plate which contains items for Aarti and puja. The items include vermillion powder, rice, jaggery, dry fruits, and sweets. These items are presented in the plate and brought in for a small Aarti and corresponding ritual.

•  The bride’s brother originally participates in the whole ceremony; he applies the tika in the groom’s forehead, feeds him with some sweets and hands him over the ring for the bride.

• One the other hand the groom’s sister puts vermillion tika on the bride’s forehead, feeds her some jaggery or sweets and hands her over the groom’s ring. The ring is exchanged and often garlands are also exchanged. The bride’s family gifts the groom with a traditional sword, some clothes, fruits as well as other gift items as shagun.

• Sometimes, even the groom’s sister is gifted with cash, jewelries and other gifts. The families exchange good wishes and decide for the next set of marriage arrangements.

Bride is to be gifted from groom’s side:

The bride is further gifted with shagun. Large trays filled with fruits, outfits, toys, cosmetics, foods, jewelry, bangles as well as the marriage day bridal wear is brought in by groom’s sister as well as the other relatives. These shagun are provided from the groom’s side as a matter of blessings and good wishes and love for the bride. This ceremony is also known as Godh Bharai.

Celebrating the official bonding among the close people:

• The closed relatives and family members of the bride and groom as well as the other invitees rejoice for the newly declared couple. On another day the groom’s family members and relatives are invited for Sangeet ritual.

• They sing songs, eat and celebrate with one another; the ladies sing traditional songs for the bride and groom whereas the bride sits in a silver chowki. She wears all the jewelries and garment gifted by the groom’s family. The groom participates in the celebration and gets to introduce with the other relatives of the bride’s family.

Blessings from god and goddess:

• Marwari marriage always starts with pujas and worships; without performing pujas Marwari marriages won’t end. One of their well-renowned puja includes the Ganapati puja or Ganapati Sthapana. The ceremony is thoroughly known as Naandi.

• The Ganesh Sthapana is done in both groom as well as bride’s house and all along puja goes on for a couple of days. The puja is done for the well-being of the bride’s future as well as from Griha shanti. The Ganesh god is installed in the home for the prosperity and wealth as well as stability in groom as well as bride’s life.

• A pujari or a pandit is invited at home for conducting the Ganesh puja and a Havan is organized for it. The Havan is specially done to cut off the bad omens of expired people and to get peaceful blessings of the ancestral people. The family asks for happiness and strength for the would-be husband-wife.

Maternal uncles are the best invitees:

• Marwari marriages are incomplete without the blessings and participation of maternal uncles or Mamu. The marriages do not take a consideration until Mamaji or maternal uncle and his family isn’t invited on personal front. The maternal uncle feeds the bride with rice and moong; and even blesses her with a happy married life.

• The mama is then fed with sugar by the bride and in return the bride is gifted with a chunri or duppata which she keeps with her for the rest of her life. The duppata is very auspicious for a bride and that too from Mamaji is something to cherish all her life. Bride’s maternal uncles even gift the groom with many gifts and outfits which are like a blessing for both of them.

• He gifts the bride with some jewelry, silver and cash; though it differs with family to family and caste to caste. The gifts given from the bride side actually owes her respect in her in-laws house. In fact she earns a stable place by the means of stuffs she is bringing along from her father’s house and relatives. This ceremony is thoroughly named as Bhaat, as in contribution by the maternal uncles.

The holy and serene bath followed by other ceremonies:

• The next set of ceremony goes on with the rituals going on in the groom and bride’s home. A paste made of turmeric, pure vegetable oils, and fresh milk curds are applied on the hands and feet of the groom and bride individually by their closed relatives and family members.

• Since, the ritual is of the women, groom’s sister and other women of the house participate in the celebration thoroughly and enjoy the moment. On the other bride’s mother and other female relatives participate in the whole ceremony.

• They take a bath as a sort of purification of body and mind; after this they don on new clothes for marriage. The ceremony is thoroughly known as Tel Baan. The next set of ceremonies is made straight to the wedding moment.

Raja Kumar