India has been known worldwide for having extravagant, complex and extremely rich rituals. The vast land of India is one that houses numerous subcultures beneath the blanket of a single orderly culture. The diversity and complexity of India’s culture is best witnessed in a traditional Indian wedding.

The style and the rituals in an Indian wedding ceremony depend on several different factors, including the bride and the groom’s religion, culture and caste. There is a huge difference between a traditional Christian wedding that spans a few hours and a traditional Punjabi wedding, which is usually a week-long affair.

Regardless of these differences, every single Indian wedding is undertaken with hope for a happy and fulfilling life for the newlyweds.

The Traditional Indian Wedding

The following are some Indian wedding practices, passed on from generation to generation, and usually modified to fit modern times.

Finding the deity’s protection: Most Indian couples seek the protection and the aid of Lord Ganesha for a fruitful marriage. During this time, the couple’s home is filled with the smell of sweets and much merrymaking. The bride also experiences a beauty treatment conducted by the chanda or the haldi.

Constructing the Pandal: The pandal refers to a small guest house that is created ritually and creatively using bamboo poles, wooden planks and doth. These mini guest houses are usually decorated with leaves and gorgeous flower blooms.

Pani-Grahana, Lajahoma, Asmahorana: The Pani-Grahana tradition has the bride and the groom holding hands while he faces east, and she faces west. Then, there’s Asmahorana in which the groom makes an invocation that his bride be as firm as a rock. Rice is poured on the hands of the bride during the Lajahoma ritual, and these grains are then offered to Lord Agni.

The Chant of Vedic HymnsWhile the Vedic hymns are chanted during the week-long wedding celebration, the groom also prays to the Indian gods Brihaspati, Varuna and Indra for a fertile wife and a harmonious family.

Griha Pravesham: This tradition has the bride carrying a pot containing the wedding fire as a symbol of her entry into the couple’s new home.

Agnipradikshana: During this ritual the bride and her groom are expected to circle the fire several times while asking Lord Agni to join them together. Seven circumambulations follow to complete the Agnipradikshana ritual.

Mangalasutra: Much like the Western practice of putting on the wedding ring, the Mangalsutra has the groom tying a thread to his wife who will carry it throughout her life. Some brides wear the thread with a diamond pendant, while others wear it with precious stones or black beads to represent specific gods.

Indian Wedding Attire

For the Indian wedding ceremony, brides are expected to wear their best formal attire. The Indian bride usually dons an intricate wedding sari or shari decorated with embroidery and stone work. Most modern brides also prefer the lehnga-choli combination designed with mirrored fabrics, silk saris and traditional salwar-kameez. The groom wears the traditional wedding Sherwani with ornate embroidery, zardosi work and stone designs.

See for yourself the magic of Indian weddings by watching the video below.