Live Life Team
Hindu weddings are traditionally very colourful affairs and to be authentic they are held in the Sanskrit language. Marriage ceremonies and marriage itself is very important to the Hindu culture, so attention to detail and the happiness of the couple is a major concern in the planning of the ceremony.
Brides usually dress in colourful saris. The groom wears equally colourful attire including a turban. The groom gives the bride jewellery of pure gold to show his love for her. The bride has already participated in the Mehendi Lagwan ceremony where henna is applied to her feet and left hand. Henna is never placed on the right hand because during the Hathlewa ceremony, the priest ties the bride’s right hand to the groom’s left to signify unity.
A priest from the couple’s caste performs the ceremony. When making a match, it is considered important that couples be from the same faith and the same caste. It is against the Hindu faith for a couple to marry if they are incompatible in these ways. The groom holds the bride’s hand and circles round the Agni, a symbolic holy fire, while reciting a mantra where he vows to take care of her. The bride then recites similar vows to the groom while holding his right hand. Both are done in the Sanskrit language. The priest makes prayers to Lord Vishnu to give blessing to the couple.
Hindu weddings are traditionally performed outside. There is a great deal of dancing and serving of spicy foods. Modern Hindu ceremonies tend to be shorter and are sometimes held under a “mandap”, a canopy with four pillars.
