Table of Content
Meant as a symbol of good luck, it is not to be taken off, and only needs to unravel by itself eventually. The family members then bless the match with a small puja. In general, functions up till this are very intimate and just include the family. The engagement however can be as big or small as one wants. Ghara Gharoli – After completion of the Haldi ceremony, the dried haldi paste is scrubbed off from the bride’s face and body. She is then taken to a nearby temple where she is bather with pitchers full of holy water.
Previously, family members used to apply the henna paste but nowadays professional mehendi artists are hired. Other female members of the family also get henna applied to their hands. At the groom’s place the same mehendi ceremony is observed but at a smaller scale. Generally, a very simple henna design is applied to the groom’s palms. Traditional wedding songs are sung during the whole ceremony. The groom’s family reciprocates the gesture by visiting the bride’s family on a separate day carrying gifts.
Watch out for similar gifts
Paani Bharna – On arrival of the Doli, the mother of the groom does an arti of the bride with a pitcher of water. After each circle, the mother-in-law attempts to take a sip of water, but the bride prevent her from drinking. She then crosses the threshold after overturning a pot of rice with her right feet.
These can be long and dangling or smaller, depending on one’s personal choice. It is said that when a bride shakes these over the heads of unmarried girls, the one who gets a piece of it on her head would be married next. Punjabi weddings are well known for the pomp and show, the glitter and glam, the serenity and style and of course the traditions and trends. Like other traditional weddings, Punjabi weddings too follow a number of traditions.
Punjabi Wedding Dress for Bride
It is believed that the radiance from the diyas will impart an everlasting glow on the bride’s face. A similar ceremony is also observed at the groom’s house. The family members anoint each other with the same paste and there prevails an atmosphere of happiness and gaiety. Also keep in mind there are typically many pre-wedding traditions that close family and friends are invited to where shugun is also performed. So if you are lucky to be invited to these ceremonies in addition to the wedding reception, then the same rules generally apply.
The work Roka has a very literal meaning - to stop the bride and groom from seeing any more prospective matches because their wedding is finalised. This ceremony is celebrated with the exchange of gifts and does not usually include exchange of rings. The millennial couples, however, exchange promise rings or something of that sort too. It starts from Rokna or Thaka.It is the day when families of the bride and groom’s side accepts the match for their dear ones.
Traditional Clothing
The sisters of the bride and groom then tie kalire around the bride’s wrist that is enfolded with dried betel nuts. They are traditional red and gold bangles that are adorned by Punjabi brides. These come from the maternal house and in a traditional ceremony the maternal uncles and aunts put these on the bride’s hands.
Then ends of their dupattas are tied in a knot and they encircle the sacred fire four times. For the first three times, the bride precedes the groom and for the final phera she has to follow the groom. Kanyadaan – During this age old Vedic ritual, the bride is given away by his parents to the groom. The relatives of the groom then are sought out by the corresponding relative from the bride’s side, eg. Maternal uncles of the groom are sought out by maternal uncles of the bride. Your wedding reception is when all your finery needs to come out since this is a time when everyone is relaxed and looking to have some fun time.
You could spend the money on your honeymoon trip, buy something the guests didn’t bring as a gift, or pay part of the loan you took for the wedding expenses. That’s why you should take the time to find out what is likely to please the receiver. If you have known the couple-to-be for some time, then you can easily guess some of the items they are likely to want as gifts. Remember also that there are several ceremonies in the Sikh wedding process so your gift should be relevant to the particular wedding ceremony you are attending. The giving and receiving of gifts is one tradition that cuts across every culture or society. I am yet to hear of a community that does not like giving or receiving gifts.
This is followed by the seven pheras that the bride and the groom take around the sacred fire. Each phera is a significant promise that the bride and groom take in the presence of the priest. This ceremony is followed by the groom putting sindoor on the bride and then putting the Mangalsutra around her neck to seal the deal. The Ghodi or the mare that is supposed to be the groom's ride to the wedding is fed by the groom's sisters and cousins and is also decorated in gorgeous Gota Patti fabrics.
Decorative Tray with CoverThis is followed by the rite where the bride kicks the brass pot filled with rice with her right leg as her first steps into the new house. The Vidaai is an emotional tradition that marks the official time for the bride to say goodbye to her maternal home. The bride throws puffed rice or rice over her head to shower the house and her maternal family with gratefulness.
In this ritual, the bride and the groom visit the house of the bride as a couple for the first time. They need to spend the night there and the next day they return to the bride’s new home. Gifts are exchanged from both sides with a mix of traditional items and modern gifts. Both bride and groom bring engagement rings for each other.
The chunni ceremony is performed to mark the welcome of a new bride into the groom’s family. On the day of sagai or before, a group of ladies visits the bride’s home carrying some outfits which she has to wear at the function. They also bring sweets, mawa, gifts, and special parts of the ritual i.e. headscarf or Chunni.
The most common amount gifted at an average wedding is 500 to 1000 rupees which is only equivalent to $10- $20 AUD which can seem like a small amount to us. For those who are close to the couple it is usually at your discretion and amounts of 1000 rupees or more would be acceptable. Elaborately decorated envelopes are sold specifically for shugun ceremonies. These are to gift the rupees in, which adds some privacy for those who prefer not having others know how much you are gifting.
No comments:
Post a Comment