The Marriage Ceremony of

XXX & YYY

February 18, 2006
Omni Mandalay Hotel

THE VIVAHA

                 (MARRIAGE CEREMONY)

XXX and  YYY are marrying according to the customs of the Hindu samskaras, which owe their origins to traditions of the Vedic era, dating more than five thousand years ago.  The samskaras, which are roughly equivalent to the sacraments of the Roman Catholic faith, are performed at five occasions during a person’s life.  The vivaha samskara, the Hindu marriage ceremony, unites husband and wife.  The ceremony brings the bride and groom into a union spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally, and morally.  Tradition emphasizes that the marriage is not only a union of two individuals, but a joining together of two families.   The vivaha by which XXX and YYY are being united today comprises of the following rituals, performed in the Vedic language of Sanskrit:

1. SWAGATHAM
Swagatham signifies the welcoming of the groom.  XXX, accompanied by members of his family and friends, enters the wedding hall and an assembly of YYY family and friends welcomes him ceremoniously.  XXX family also personally receives YYY family and blessings are exchanged.
 

2. VIGNESWARA PUJA and PUNYAHAVACHANA
The bride’s parents lead YYY to the mandap.  After XXX is seated on the mandap, the pandit (priest) commences the marriage ceremony by invoking the deity Lord Ganesh (also known as Lord Vigneswara, the Remover of all Obstacles) to cleanse XXX mind

3. RAKSHA BANDHAN
The Raksha, a flower or leaf, is tied to a sanctified yellow thread.  This thread is tied to XXX left wrist and YYY right wrist.  This is traditionally done to ward off evil and to ensure that the ceremony proceeds smoothly. 

4. VARA PUJA and VADHU KALYANA MANDAPA PRAVESAM
By virtue of the previous ceremonies, XXX has temporarily become a stand-in for the deity Lord Vishnu and YYY has become a stand-in for the goddess XXX, Lord Vishnu’s wife.  Accordingly, XXX receives offerings from YYY parents.

XXX is now escorted to the mandap by her family.  She enters the mandap with a green coconut, a symbol of purity, sprinkled with tumeric and kunkum.  As XXX is seated on the mandap across from XXX, a curtain is drawn so that he may not see his bride’s face before the auspicious time (Subha Muhurtam).
 

5. KANYADANAM
This is a special moment for the bride as she accepts her change from an unmarried woman to a wife.  The father of the bride gives away his daughter by placing her hands in the hands of Duminda, thereby symbolically giving the goddess Lakshmi to her husband Lord Vishnu.  In Hindu scriptures there is no greater gift than Kanyadanam.  By virtue of this act, the parents, the twelve preceding generations, and the twelve succeeding generations of the family are said to receive salvation.

6. SUBHA MUHURTAM
At exactly 11:42 am, the pandit proclaims that the Gods, Heaven, Earth and the Planets are in consonance to bless Nirupama and Duminda in marriage.  The couple places a paste made of cumin seed and brown sugar on each other’s heads.  This paste signifies a harmonious mental union between them.  At this auspicious time, the curtain separating the bride and groom is lifted, and Nirupama and Duminda see one another for the first time as husband and wife.  Immediate family members then bless the couple with sacred rice.

7. MANGALAYA SUTHRA DHARANA
The mangalaya suthra (sacred neckalace) is equivalent to a wedding band in Western tradition.  It is blessed by all witnessing the ceremony.  Duminda ties the mangalya in three knots around XXX neck.  The three knots symbolize the holy trinity of the Hindu religion: Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Preserver), and Maheswara (the Destroyer).  The couple then exchange garlands.  The exchange of garlands symbolizes their unification  as one soul in two bodies.
 

8. THALAMBRALU

The couple sprinkles purified rice, pearls, and flowers on each other as a symbol of fertility, prosperity and happiness.

9. BRAHMAMUDI and PANIGRAHANA
The pandit ties a knot using XXX clothing and YYY clothing to symbolically bind them together for life.  This knot contains betel nut, coins, rice, and flowers to signify longevity, prosperity, fertility, and happiness.

10. SAPTAPADI
In Hindu tradition, it is said that if two people walk seven steps together they become lifelong friends.  Here XXX and YYY take seven symbolic steps, while taking these seven vows:

With God as our guide, let us now take…

      The first step to nourish each other and develop our physical, mental, and       spiritual powers;

      The second step to grow together in strength, through the sharing of       experiences, and by enabling each other to blossom infinitely;

      The third step is to create and share great prosperity;

      The fourth step to commit to the pursuit of life long happiness, daily filling our       hearts with joy, peace, and spiritual practice;

    

   


  The fifth step to care for and protect the integrity, honor, and well-being of our       family and friends;

      The sixth step to help in humanitarian work, lessen suffering, and promote human       good;

      The seventh step to be united in life-long friendship and mutual devotion in all   phases of our lives (dharma, artha, kama, and moksha).

LAJA HOMUM
In Hindu culture, unwed persons may not perform homum to invoke Lord Agni (God of Fire) without the aid of their parents.  As a newly wed couple, XXX and YYY perform homum for the first time.  They proceed to walk around the holy fire three times to acknowledge Lord Agni as a witness to their marriage.

SURYA, CHANDRA and ARUNDHATI DARSHANAM
Here the couple is shown the direction of the sun, the moon, and the Arundhathi star (the Northern star).  This is meant to symbolize the reliability, perpetuality, and the consistency of their union.

 

MANGALA HARATHI
At this time family members thank the Gods for allowing the matrimonial ceremony to occur without impediment.  It is customary to do this in the form of song.

ASHIRVAD
By reciting Vedic Mantras, the pandit offers blessings to the new bride and groom.  He invites parents, family, and friends to bless the newlyweds by showering them with sacred rice.

Thank you for joining us in blessing the newly married couple.

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to our family and friends who have traveled here today and to everyone who has contributed and helped to create this celebration.

Om