Before the main event there are a number of rituals which need to be performed as a prelude to the Hindu wedding. These rituals are steeped with tradition and religious beliefs and are an integral part of the whole wedding ceremony.
Chunni Ceremony
The ceremony involves the boy’s family visiting the girl’s house bearing gifts comprising of fruit, Indian sweets, meva (dry fruit) and a complete outfit, jewellery, Henna, and indian sweets. Women who are closely related to the boy, usually his sister or sister-in-law, present the girl with an outfit and many other gifts. Ladies from the boy’s family will then dress the girl in these clothes – in the privacy of a separate room of course! They usually bring matching cosmetics and nail varnish, which they also put on the bride.
Other significant women in the boy’s family adorn the girl with other gifts they have brought – traditional jewellery set (which is usually gold), bangles, a red accessory in the hair and mendhi on her hands.
The meaning behind gifting the girl with the outfit and dressing her represents the boy’s family’s acceptance of her as their prospective daughter-in-law. This is why there is emphasis on them dressing her. It is called the chunni charauna ceremony because crucially, the boy’s mother will put the chunni on the girl’s head to dress her like a bride. The boy’s father fills her jholi with handfuls of meva as a symbolic token of welcoming her to the family.
The parents will give sagan to both the boy and girl in the form of feeding them ladoo (an Indian sweet) and gifting them with money.
Pre-Wedding Ceremonies & Rituals
Pre-Wedding Ceremonies form an important part of the auspicious marriage ceremony as most of them are performed individually at the bride’s and groom’s place, giving a festive mood to both the respective houses. The atmosphere is vibrant, lively and full of joy and happiness..
Here are some of the pre-wedding Gujarati and Punjabi rituals, which are synchronized steps toward the most awaited ceremony - the marriage.
Karahi Charna
This ceremony is performed 5 days before the wedding at the bride and grooms respective homes. Savory and sweet items are cooked in large dish (karahi). Visiting guests are served with appetizers as a gesture of blessing to the bride and groom
Mandap Mahurat
This is a typical Ganesh pooja performed before any auspicious ritual at home. The Pooja is performed separately at the bride’s and groom’s place a few days before the wedding ceremony to bring good luck and prosperity to the families. This Pooja is also done to ensure that no negative energy could be able to create any hindrance in the forth coming auspicious ceremony.
Griha Shanti
This pooja is meant to seek the blessings of a happy and peaceful married life for the couple. It is performed with the bride and her parents at a specific auspicious time decided by a Pandit in accordance with the horoscopes of the perspective bride and groom.
Pithi/Maya
This is a ceremony performed individually at both the bride and groom houses. In this ceremony, the bride and groom are cleansed with the turmeric paste which is considered auspicious and beautifying. It is said to brighten and soften the skin to produce a healthy glow at the wedding ceremony. Girls performing maiya has red string (thread) tied around their wrist, during this ceremony red scraf is hold above the bride or groom’s head. At each corner of the scarf girls take turn to hold scarf and traditional songs are sung and enjoyed by all.
Choora Ceremony (bangel ceremony)
This ceremony is performed at brides maternal home by her uncle giving her choora (21 Red bangles) which are bathed in lassi (yoghurt milk) and rosewater. Traditional folk songs are enjoyed by all the guests. After putting the choora the uncle covers it with a shawl (subar) which represents breaking away from maternal family and home. Kaliras (silver and gold hanging ornaments) are tied on the bangels by everyone blessing bride. Before leaving the room she touches one of her female friends with kalirah and its been said whosever head it falls next would be her wedding.