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Wedding Traditions in India
India is a land of diversity. Each part of the country differs from the other in terms of customs, rituals, language, people etc. And so do the traditions of wedding in India where although the basis to all may be similar the practice of doing things is different Indian wedding is a perfect blend of serious rituals and customs along with other fun filled rituals and frothy moments. Wedding marks the beginning of a new relationship not just between two individuals but also between two families and thus, there are various moments in the wedding ceremonies that help to build new relationships
Some fun facts of Indian Weddings are:
- In many communities in the Hindu Religion, there is a wedding ritual in which the sisters-in-law hide the shoes of their jija or brother-in-law and return them only in exchange for money. It's a very fun filled and enjoying ritual.
- In some communities, there are rituals where the hands of the couple are covered with a sacred cloth to ward off ill omen and evil eye during the pheras.
- In Parsee marriage ceremonies, the sisters-in-law take gifts from their brother-in-law during the ritual of Haath Boravanu where the groom puts his hand in water and cannot remove them until he pays money to them, Pag Dhovanu is another such ritual where the groom is threatened with milk on his shoes and chero chorvanu is a ritual in which seven strands of thread tying the couple are removed on payment.
- In Gujarati custom the groom's mother-in-law tries to catch his nose on arrival of the baraat, as a reminder of the fact that he is taking away their daughter and is now responsible for her happiness.
- Aeki-Beki is also very fun filled rituals among the Gujarati community. A tray or pot of water is mixed with milk and vermillion. A ring and a few coins are thrown into the mixture. The bride and groom are given seven chances to fish out the ring. The winner is considered as having a dominating personality and it is predicted amidst much laughter that he or she will rule the roost!
- In Punjabi custom the bride's wear a Chuda, this is a set of red and ivory bangles by her maternal uncle. This custom is considered good omen for the bride as it is said to bring good luck to the bride in her new home.
- Punjabi brides wear Kale ere. These are silver or gold plated ornaments tied to the Chudas. It is said that the bride has as many friends as there are leaves in the Kale ere. One interesting ritual related with the Kale ere is the custom in which a bride shakes her Kale ere over the unmarried girls in her family. It is said that if the Kale ere falls on the head of any of them, she is the next one to be married.
- Another ritual which is found in almost every community is when the groom brings home his new bride; the groom's sisters block the entrance to the home and demand money from their brother as a shagun before they let him in. This is a fun filled and amusing ritual.
 Wedding Ceremonies in India
Prior to Marriage
During the Wedding
Post Wedding
Exotic Wedding in India
Indian Wedding Attire
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