Lucky Day
In India, the couple doesn’t choose their wedding date. Instead, a knowledgeable family member, fortune-teller, priest, or astrologist figures out the most auspicious day by considering factors such as birthdays and phases of the moon. And then the checklist starts along with the countdown for a new journey.
Pre-Wedding: Engagement
The bride and the groom’s side hold an engagement for family and friends. This event is an official announcement prior to the wedding. People come to offer their greetings to the newly engaged couple.
Pre-Wedding Ritual: Pitthi
Pitthi is an auspicious ritual performed for good luck. Pitthi is a paste made mainly of turmeric, chickpea flour and rose water. Family members and well-wishers of the bride and groom apply the paste on the bride/groom’s skin. This yellow paste is thought to brighten and even the skin tone and is applied one of the days prior to the wedding ceremony.
Pre-Wedding Ritual: Mehendi
The Mehendi event is a colourful and fun celebration held the night before the wedding, a professional mehendi artist or relative will apply henna with intricate designs to the hands and feet.
Wedding ceremony: The knot
The groom accompanied by his family and friends in a festive procession known as the baraat, the groom arrives at the entrance of the wedding venue on a horse. The procession consists of his family and friends singing and dancing around him to music generally played by a professional dhol (large bass drum) player. This is followed by Milni (meeting of two families), Ganesh Puja (prayer to lord Ganesha), Kanya Aagaman (arrival of the Bride to the mandap in a palanquin), Jai Mala (Exchange of Garlands), Kanyadaan and Hasta Melap (Giving Away of the Bride), Saptapadi (The Seven Sacred Steps) and The knot, Aashirvaad (Blessings for the Married Couple) and finally the Bidaai (Going away of the Bride to the Groom’s house).
Mangalsutra, kunkum on forehead and toe rings are considered as the biggest sacred symbol of marriage.
Post-Wedding ritual: Satyanarayana pooja
The bride and groom then perform Satyanarayana puja (prayer) showing their gratitude to the lord at the groom's house.
Post wedding: Reception
The bride and the groom’s side hold a reception for family and friends. This event is non-ritualistic. People come to offer their greetings to the newly wedded couple. With so much of colour, vibrancy, food, people, music, fun and frolic, the reception is truly a festival in itself.
Post-Wedding ritual: Satyanarayana pooja
The bride and groom then perform Satyanarayana puja (prayer) showing their gratitude to the lord at the bride's home.
Vineela’s Letter to Sampreeth
When we first met, feelings that I didn't know existed, stirred in my heart. An unexplained desire to know you better and a burning hope that I made a good choice. It is not often that we come across a person in our lives that we want them to take notice of us and ignite the spark that is embedded in our hearts. You are that person to me and my instinct has not been wrong. With each passing day, I come home with a stronger and stronger longing to make this deeper and last. A firmer belief that you are the one that I could share my life with. And a deepening love that reached a depth that I have never experienced. If you ever ask me how many times you've crossed my mind, I would say once. Because you came, and never left. My happiness boils down to those walking moments when I decided that you are the one for me. So it’s "A Big YES", and I’m Finally Married. So confident from the past and pretty excited in the present with the hope of a brighter future. And from here, "The journey to heaven begins!"