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Hindu Wedding

According to the holy texts there are eight different types of Hindu marriages. According to many of these eight types of marriages prevailed in ancient India. Among these eight types all dint have religious procedure. The last four are not religiously defined and most of the times were condemned.

Brahma Marriage:

According to the Brahma marriage if the boy completes his Brahmacharya (student hood), he is eligible to be married. This marriage is done when the father of the boy approaches the girl's parents and asks for her hand. And then the Brahma marriage is arranged. In this there is no system of dowry. One of the most important ritual of this marriage is kanyadaan (where the father gifts his daughter to the groom.) Among the eight types the highest type of marriage is the dharmasastras.

Daiva Marriage:

In the case of Daiva marriage the girl is married to a priest. In this kind of a marriage the girl's family look for a suitable man for their daughter and if nobody turns up they go looking for a groom in such places where a sacrifice is being conducted. According to the religious texts Daiva marriage is inferior to Brahma marriage. It is considered degrading for the woman to look for groom by herself or by her family.

Arsha Marriage:

The third type of marriage is called Arsha marriage that is marriage with the sages. In Arsha the bride is given in exchange for two cows, which is received, from the groom. Marriages of this type are said to have happened when the parents of the bride couldn't afford the expense of their daughter's marriage at the right time. Without choice the girl is married to an old sage. This is not considered as a noble marriage at it involves monetary or business transaction.

Prajapatya Marriage:

This kind of marriage is almost similar to the Brahma marriage. There are only two major differences, one is that there is no monetary transaction and Kanyadaan is not a part of Prajapatya marriage. In this marriage the bride's father goes in search for a groom for his daughter.

Gandharva Marriage:

Next is Gandharva marriage, is like the modern day love marriage. Here the bride and the bridegroom marry secretly without the knowledge of their parents. It is not believed to be a right kind of marriage as it is against the will of the parents so it is inferior kind of marriage.

Asura Marriage:

In the Asura kind of marriage the groom is not considered suitable for the bride. He is in no way a match for the girl. The bridegroom gives as much wealth as he can afford to the bride's parents. So this system of marriage is more like buisness.

Rakshasa Marriage:

The Rakshasa marriage is done, when the groom fights battles with the bride's family, defeats them and then carries her away and then persuades her to marry him. This is not at all considered as the right kind of marriage as it includes force.

Paishacha Marriage:

Paishacha marriage is the last kind of marriage. It is considered as the most inferior type of marriage. In this the girl is married against her wishes. This kind of marriage is prohibited.

Hindu Wedding Ceremony

Hindu Wedding Ceremony has some special features that give it a distinct look from the marriage ceremonies of other religions. Actually in Vedic age, the life after marriage was considered to be an important stage of life and called the 'Garhastha Ashrama'. This term means, setting up of a separate family unit

There are several rituals, through which the Hindu wedding ceremony occurs. Two People who are said to be compatible are brought together. Through the wedding ceremony they get into the form of a lifelong relationship at a ceremony called marriage. This is a new stage and responsibility as a householder.

The actual rituals that are performed in a Hindu wedding ceremony are different from region to region and usually take several hours to complete.

The Phases of Hindu Wedding Ceremony

  • Vara Satkaarah - this ceremony constitutes the welcome of the bridegroom and his relatives at the entrance of the wedding hall where the priest chants a few sacred mantras and the bride's mother blesses the groom by applying Tilak made of vermilion and turmeric powder.

  • Madhuparka - this ceremony constitutes the welcome of the bridegroom at the altar. The bride then offers a mixture of yogurt and honey to the groom as a sign of purity. The bride then greets the groom by a garlanding him and the groom reciprocates it.

  • Kanya Dan - in this ceremony the father of the bride gives away his daughter to the groom. The father pours out a little of sacred water which symbolizes the giving away of his daughter to the bridegroom. This ceremony is done between the chanting of sacred mantras.

  • Vivah-Homa - this sacred fire ceremony is done to ensure that all auspicious undertakings of the marriage start in an atmosphere of purity and spirituality.

  • Pani-Grahan - in this ceremony the groom and the groom stand opposite to each other. The groom holds the right hand of the bride in his left hand. He recites some Vedic recitations praying for a long life and a long life.

  • Pratigna-Karan - in this ceremony the bride and the groom walk round the fire, with the bride leading, and make promises of loyalty, love and fidelity to each other.

  • Shila Arohan - in this ceremony the bride's mother helps the bride to symbolically step onto a stone. This in other words is preparing her for a new life.

  • Laja-Homah - the bride in this ceremony offers rice to the Gods for their blessings. During the ceremony the palms of hers are in those of the groom.

  • The Mangala suthra Dharana- this ceremony marks the tying of the sacred thread, which is a mark of either Vishnu or Shiva in the neck of the bride by the groom.

  • Pradakshina - The bridegroom in this ceremony holds the hand of the bride and circles the nuptial fire either seven times. With this ceremony the marriage is considered complete, and they are wedded into matrimonial bliss.

  • Saptapadi - the bride and the groom are symbolically brought together through the Marriage knot. The groom's scarf is tied to the bride's dress. Then they take seven steps, which represent nourishment, strength, prosperity, happiness, progeny, long life, harmony and understanding.

  • Abhishek - this ceremony is done by sprinkling water and meditating on the sun and the pole star.

  • Anna Praashan - the couple first offers food to the fire and then feed each other food which expressing mutual love and affection.

  • Aashirvadah - this Hindu wedding ceremony marks the blessings received by the couple from the elders. All the people present in the ceremony express their happiness by showering flowers on the couple thus completing the marriage.

How To Plan A Wedding ?

Planning a wedding is a very tough job. The best way to proceed is through three steps called Organizing, planning and coordinating. There is lots of pre wedding preparation, budgeting and planning that should happen before the wedding day. It is usually the responsibility of the parents of the bride and the groom to decide upon the wedding size depending on the budget.

The bride and the groom should participate equally in the planning process, as it is a joyous occasion. Now a days, there is an huge increase in the amount of money being spent on weddings. This has also led to an interest of deviating from the common norms in the wedding ceremony.

People who specialize in the field of wedding planning (wedding planners) have increased in prominence. These professionals include people like, event organizers, fashion designers, beauticians, make up artist, hairstylists, and caterers.

There are lots of options available due to these specialized services from a number of professionals and service providers. The wedding ceremony size depends on the total budget of the wedding. So each stage of planning is equally important and has to be done with utmost care.

The following are the areas where planning has to be done thoroughly:

  • The most important aspect is to include the whole family in the event. If approval of the elders is available for the wedding then it becomes a happy event not just for the bride and the groom but for their respective families as well.

  • The second stage is to get the horoscopes matched with an astrologer to determine an auspicious date for the wedding. The ceremony usually takes place at the bride's house or at a hall depending on the number of guests.

  • Try and include as many as possible among the 15 small rituals that make up a Hindu wedding ceremony. Or, the ritual's can be chosen according to the preferences of the bride and the groom.

  • Offer alternate entertainment to occupy the guests during the wedding ceremony like food.

  • Videography and photography is essential for any wedding , to make sure that it can be seen later. It is generally needed for all the functions including pre wedding, main day and post wedding functions.

  • The Bridal Attire like saris, jewelry, dresses, Make-up, shoes, lingerie, etc. and For the groom there is groom wear, men accessories. Should be kept ready for the respective ceremonies.

  • Decoration of various kinds like, car decoration, lighting and flowers not only at the wedding place but also at home have to be taken care of.

  • Extra expenses like food, liquor, champagne, waiters, and caterers and other miscellaneous expenses have to be taken care of.

  • Weddings are very expensive affairs. A foolproof budget plan is very essential for any wedding so that one can realize well in advance what they can afford. The other advantage of a well-planned wedding is that, unnecessary expenses can be avoided. Wedding size should also be decided according to the budget of the wedding.

Hindu Marriage Ideals and Commitment

Vedic Hindu marriage is not a contract between two persons of the opposite sex. Marriage is viewed as a life long commitment of one wife and one husband, and it is the strongest bond between a man and woman.

Hindus believe marriage as a mean to continue the family and there by repay to his ancestors. Marriage is a way for learning many things in life through experience. This is a path for spiritual growth.

Cial bond

According to Hindus, the alliance is a union of two families, as well as the union between two individuals. The marriage ceremony will be taking place in the presence of parents, relatives and friends. So, the marriage becomes a social bond as well a commitment.

Break ups

The idea behind the Hindu marriage is to grow in the shades of each other, and not because of selfish motives. The concern for the family can be reflected in the institution of marriage. The love and duty, which is maintained for the existence of family, is the factor which prevents break ups.

Duties divided

In Hinduism, man and woman are the two halves of the divine body. As they are different, no question of inferiority or superiority arises there. The duties of both man and woman had been defined by Shastras (Hindu Scriptures) taking care of their physical and emotional status. Maintaining the domestic peace and taking care of social interactions are extremely important.

Responsibilities

By nature, men have less capability of reserving feelings and behavior than women. This is the reason why, Hindu women are supposed to lead their husband by keeping the lustful tendencies under control. After marriage, the woman who is loyal to her husband is called "Pativrata" (Pati- husband; Vrata- vow). Another synonym for Pativrata is "Sati"-one who preserves her Sattva (purity): physically, mentally and spiritually.