IndianWeddingCard

The Wedding Ceremony of

XXX and YYY

Saturday July 1, 2006

The Wedgwood Room

8090, Albert hall, NY, USA 
Ceremony conducted by

                            xxx

Welcome, all of our guests. 

The Hindu wedding ceremony is based 
on traditions and rituals that 
originated in ancient Sanskrit 
scriptures known as the Vedas. 
Over time, the Vedic rituals have
been combined with different 
traditions, creating unique 
wedding customs in each region of India.

Today, the Vedic ceremony will 
combine elements from both Hindu and 
Sikh traditions, reflecting XXX
and YYY heritage respectively. 
It is meant to symbolically 
unite the bride and groom so that after 
marriage they unite as one in spirit.

The majority of the ceremony 
will take place in the mandap 
(a wedding canopy built of four 
poles to represent the universe). 
Each of the five Indian elements—fire, 
water, air, earth and  space—are 
represented within the mandap. Agni 
(the holy fire)  exists as a divine witness 
to this sacred union and symbolizes 
the illumination of knowledge 
and happiness.  

An Indian wedding is a grand 
social affair that’s typically celebrated 
over several days with family and 
friends during spirited events, 
including song and dance festivities 
and henna parties. Relationships 
are renewed and rejoiced. 

This Hindu marriage ceremony 
will be conducted in the ancient 
language of Sanskrit. The main 
aspects are described below:

SWAGATAM – BARAAT (ARRIVAL OF
THE GROOM):
Wedding celebrations commence with
XXX family welcoming YYY,
his family and friends to the wedding
venue. The Milni ceremony is a special
greeting of the baraat, performed between
members of each family.

Neil is then escorted to the entrance where
Krishna, XXX mother, welcomes him.
She blesses him and performs aarti
(moving a small flame in a circular motion
in front of his face to free Neil from obstacles
and bad luck). Krishna then applies a tilak
(red mark on YYY forehead) as a sign of
welcome and to invite good luck.

YYY then steps onto an earthen pitcher,
crushing it into many pieces. This demonstrates
that he has the ability, strength and
determination to overcome all obstacles
that the couple may face. Neil is then
escorted by XXX parents to the mandap.

KANYA AAGAMAN (ARRIVAL OF THE
BRIDE):
XXX is escorted to the mandap by AAA,
her brother, and her cousins.

JAIMALA (EXCHANGE OF WEDDING
GARLANDS):

The couple exchange garlands, signifying the 
union of two bodies and two souls into one 
entity, then proclaim their love and mutual 
acceptance of one another. 

LORD GANESHA AND NAVAGRAHA
POOJA (OPENING PRAYERS):

Every auspicious occasion begins with an 
invocation of the Lord Ganesha, the 
elephant-headed god. This is to ensure a 
ceremony free of impediments and a marriage 
free of all hardships. Prayers asking for 
continuous happiness and prosperity are 
then offered to Navagraha (the nine planets) 
and the presiding deities of marriage.

MADHUPARKA (HONORING OF 
THE GROOM):

With the accompaniment of mantras by the
priest, XXX parents welcome and 
honor the groom by washing his feet. 
It is believed that through the parents’ 
prayers, the man that their daughter will 
marry is an embodiment of Lord Vishnu, 
and he is honored as such.  

 
AAA, XXX father, then offers Neil 
madhuparka (a sweet drink made of 
honey for good health, clarified butter 
for strength and beauty, and yogurt 
for brilliance). Madhuparka also 
symbolizes the sweetening of 
relations between the couple’s families.
 

GAANTH BANDHAN (TYING OF
THE KNOT):

For good luck, a married woman ties 
the corners of Neil’s and XXX
garments together with a knot 
to represent their inseparability.

KANYA DAAN (GIVING AWAY OF 
THE BRIDE):
The rituals proceed as XXX parents 
perform the Kanya Daan, considered 
one of the most sacred gifts that 
parents can offer to God. Both 
parents wash the couple's feet 
with milk and water to purify 
them for their new life together 
then apply tilaks to their foreheads. 
AAA guides XXX hand on 
top of Neil’s, symbolizing his blessing 
of their union. The bride and groom's 
hands are filled with betal nuts and 
rice, signifying unity, prosperity and 
happiness. AAA then holds an 
open palm over the couple’s 
hands while Krishna pours water 
then milk over her husband’s hands. 
This subsequently falls on the bride and 
groom’s hands, purifying their union 
and blessing them with happiness 
and prosperity. The gesture symbolizes 
a promise from the father of the bride: 
“I offer you this most precious gift—
my daughter—to take as your own, 
to cherish and protect. Take my 
daughter to be your life partner.”  

   


VIVAAHA HAVAN (LIGHTING OF THE FIRE):
Agni (the sacred fire, considered to be the
sustainer of life) is lit using ghee (butter),
wood, incense and camphor. As XXX
and YYY sit side-by-side facing the fire,
she holds his hand while XXX
makes offerings of ghee to the
fire and the priest chants mantras
for their longevity as a couple. 

MANGAL PHERAS OR AGNI PARIKRAMA
(CIRCLING THE FIRE):
XXX and YYY walk around the fire
seven times, accompanied by the
chanting of mantras and assisted
by AAA, who offers a fistful of puffed
rice to the bride and groom as a
sign that he wishes happiness upon
his sister’s marriage. In the first four
parikramas, the bride walks ahead of
the groom, signifying that she will
lead in all matters pertaining to
household activities, along the path
of dharma, arth, kaama and moksha.
In the final three parikramas, the groom
walks in front, signifying that he will l
ead in matters related to community activities.
Together, they will live a righteous
and spiritual life. They also offer
rice each time they circle around
the fire, symbolizing fertility and prosperity.  

PANIGRAHAN (THE GROOM’S PROMISE):
XXX holds YYY hands and promises,
“I will hold your hands forever. I do so
to keep you happy and I am proud to be your husband.

May God, who has united us, bless me 
so that I will be an ideal husband.” 
He then recites the hymns for 
happiness in their lifelong relationship. 

SHILA ROHAN (STEPPING ON THE ROCK):

XXX places her right foot on a piece 
of rock while Neil recites a statement 
that encourages her to be as strong 
as the rock and firm when they 
face future difficulties together. 

SAPTA PADI (THE SEVEN SACRED STEPS):

The ceremony of the seven steps is 
the most important part of the ceremony.
Prayers are recited as the couple 
walks the seven steps together, symbolizing
that they are now lifelong friends who share 
the same thoughts, desires and aspirations.
They have become two bodies with a 
single soul. While holding hands, 
Neil and XXX walk the seven
short steps together, taking a 
vow at each step: 

   

1. Let us live with honour and respect.
Let us walk together so we get food.

2. Let us be happy and enjoy life. 
Let us walk together so we get strength.

3. Let us share joys and pains together.
 Let us walk together so we get wealth.

4. Let us not forget parents and elders.
Let us walk together so we get happiness.

5. Let us observe all acts of charity. 

Let us walk together so we have family.

6. Let us live a long and peaceful life.

Let us walk together so we have joy.

7. Let us be friends who share love and sacrifice.

Let us walk together so we have friendship.

The couple then ends this ritual with XXX 
seated to YYY left. Since the heart is on 
the body’s left side, this signifies that 
XXX will YYY in his heart at all times.

 
SAUBHAGYA CHINNA (MARKS OF 
AUSPICIOUSNESS) AND 
MUDRIKA (EXCHANGE OF THE RINGS):

XXX adorns YYY, as his wife, with sindhoor 
(red powder) on her forehead, thereby 
promising to cherish and protect her as 
if she were his own life. He also offers 
her the Mangal Sutra, an auspicious 
necklace, which symbolizes the 
couple's togetherness, love and 
their sacred union. Both XXX and 
YYY then conclude these 
rituals by exchanging wedding rings. 

SURYA DHARSAN:

XXX then requests YYY to look 
towards the sun, symbolizing enlightenment.

AASHIRWAAD (BLESSINGS):

The priest prays for blessings 
from the supreme Lord for the 
well being of the newly weds 
and of those assembled. Relatives 
and friends then sprinkle rice and 
flowers on the couple. Afterwards,
the couple seeks blessings from 
the Gods, parents and elderly 
relatives by bowing to their feet.
Married women from the family bless 
the Bride by whispering ‘Akhand 
Soubhagyawati Bhav’ (blessing for 
abiding marital happiness). 

PRONOUNCEMENT:

The Bride and Groom are then 
declared legally and spiritually as one.

   

VIDAI (FAREWELL TO THE BRIDE):

The ceremony is completed with the 
departure of Bride and Groom, which is 
known as Vidai, Farewell to the 
bride by her parents, siblings, relatives 
and friends, indeed a very emotional 
part of the whole event. The Bride 
is leaving her parental home to build 
an entirely new life with her husband 
and members of his immediate family 
in a different environment altogether. 
She leaves with tears of joy and sorrow 
but carries the very best wishes of all 
who witnessed her matrimonial 
ceremony and throws a handful 
of rice so that house of her 
childhood remains prosperous and happy.

The Gupta and Parmar families sincerely 
thankyou all for joining us in our 
celebration today. We feel blessed 
to have the love of such wonderful 
family and friends, which has led to the 
happiness that we share today.