What is Marriage?

Marriage has different name “Vivah”, ” Shaadi” and etc. The ceremony of marriage is called “Vivah Sanskar”. It is filled with rituals and celebrations that continue for years and years till the end of life. Marriages in India are the most important part of our life. We Hindu’s are attached with this Wedding ceremony by heart. We give lot of importance to the marriage ceremony as a part of our life. Wedding ceremony has colorful celebrations for several days. We Hindu decorate our home with colorful lights, we do paints to our wall to look like a new wall.

Different people and family has their own process to complete wedding ceremony. We Hindus have some rituals common in Hindu Weddings – “Kanyadan”, “Panigrahana”, “Saptapadi” which is respectively, giving away of daughter by the father, voluntarily holding hand near the fire to signify union, and taking seven steps with each step includes a vow/promise to each other before fire.

Wedding ceremony and its core is essentially a “Vedic Yajna” ritual. Primary witness of Hindu marriage is “Agni” (fire), with presence of our family member, friends and relatives. The ceremony is traditionally conducted in language of Sanskrit. It is considered by Hindus as the language of Holy Ceremonies. Sometimes “Pandit JI” uses the local language of bride or groom to understand the “Mantra”.

Pre-wedding or Post-wedding rituals vary according to the tradition, region and religion preferences or the resources of groom or bride and their families. Some family conducts wedding ceremony program or event in 1 day to several days. Pre-wedding events includes engagement (Ring Exchange Program – Bride and Groom exchange there rings in this event). On the wedding of day, at pre – wedding ceremonies groom with his family reach to bride residence in the form of dancing and music. The post-wedding ceremonies include lots of activities like Abhishek, Anna Prashashan, Ashirwad, grahpravesh.

In India, now a days most of Hindus live with laws and tradition, no Hindu marriage is conducted without “Agni” (fire). It is the complete process of ritual seven steps around the fire (Agni) by the bride and groom together.

When a couple get married, we called people (our family member, friends and relatives) to celebrate our celebrations or happiness moment.

There are two families one from groom side and one from bride side; these families family member, friends and relatives are unknown from each other. Once they gathered at the venue place which is booked by the bridal family. They meet with each other, come to know each other and become a part of family member, friends and relatives.