Hindu Marriage Ceremony

Gods invited to Marriage.
Importance of Marriage
Rituals performed in a Marriage

One of the memorable moments in every one's life is their wedding, it gives a sense of friendship between two people. It is a foundation for a beautiful future. This is the marital bliss people talk about. Marriage follows the rules of 'Dharmaarthkamaadulu' (justice, money, love etc.). There are different rituals in which this sacred ceremony in different religions.

'Brahmacharyam'(Bachelorhood), 'Gruhastamu'(Matrimony), 'Vanaprastamu'(Living in forest), 'Sanyasamu'(sagehood) are four *Ashrama Dharmas (principle or conditions) that customarily governs behavior of any man's life. The second of which is 'Gruhastamu'(matrimony) that is important. This gives us the blessing of having a family and children and attain 'Moksha'. This is because 'yati', 'brahmachari'(bachelor), 'vidyarthi' (student), 'Guru' (teacher), 'poshakudu' (bearer), 'baatasari' (traveller), 'vruthi laenivadu' (unemployed) are seven categories of people who depend on a 'gruhastu'(married man). Serving them as a responsibility is a way of attaining 'Moksha'.

During 'Gruhastasramamu'every man seeks a woman and every woman a man for fulfilment. The children by their union are the source of paying back 'pitrurunamu'(what we owe to our ancestors), 'gururunamu' (what we owe our teachers), 'daeva runamu' (what we owe our Gods).
Hence the union of man and woman is provided with the moral and social support and both recieve fame and honour because of each other. The rituals of a marriage include the recital of age old rules, guideance that have been told by our elders in form of mantras.

A millioniar, or a common man, every one should tie the knot someday, much pomp and joy is a part of such union. The importance of such marriage is to be noted by man and woman alike. Not only them but the importance of marriage should be noted by the one who performs the marriage, the one who watch the marriage.

There are many rituals performed in a traditional Hindu marriage. They are:
1. 'peLLi chuupulu'
2. 'niSchitaardhamu'
3. 'snaatakamu'
4. 'kaaSee prayaaNam'
5. 'varapuuja - edurkoalu'
6. 'gouriivratam'
7. 'mamgaLasnaanaalu'
8. 'kanyaavaraNamu'
9. 'madhuparkaalu'
10. 'yamnoapavaetadhaaraNa'
11. 'mahaasamkalpamu'
12. 'kaaLLukaDuguTa'
13. 'sumuhuurtam'(jeelakarra bellam Sirassumeeda peTTuTa)
14. 'kaaLLu tokkimchaTam'
15. 'kanyaadaanam'
16. 'svarNajalaaBimamtram'
17. 'yoattraebamdhanam'
18. 'mamgaLasuutradhaaraNa'
19. 'talambraalu'
20. 'brahmamuDi'
21. 'amguLeekaalu teeyaDam'
22. 'saptapadi paaNigrahaNam'
23. 'hoamam'.
24. 'sannikallu toayaDam'
25. 'raajahoamam'
26. 'sthaaleepaakam'
27. 'naagavalli'
28. 'sadasyam'
29. 'nallapuusalu kaTTaDam'
30. 'arumdhatee darSanam'
31. 'uyyaalaloani bommanu appajeppaDam'
32. 'ampakaalu; gRhapravaeSam'
33. 'satyanaaraayaNa svaami vratam'
34. 'kamkaNa vimoachanam'
35. 'garbhaadhaanam'

But now the marriage has been condensed to 14 rituals. They are:

1. ' peLLi chuupulu'
2. 'niSchitaardhamu'
3. 'snaatakamu'
4. 'kaaSee prayaaNam'
5. 'varapuuja - edurkoalu'
6. 'samaavartanamu'
7. 'kanyaavaraNamu'
8. 'kanyaadaanamu'
9. 'sumuhuurtam'(jeelakarra bellam Sirassumeeda peTTuTa)
10. 'paaNigrahaNamu'
11. 'agni puujanamu'
12. 'laajahoamamu'
13. 'saptapadi'
14. 'nakshatradarSanamu'



'Vadhuvu'(Bride):

The single identity of a bride is the trinity of 'Lakshmi', 'Saraswati', 'Parvathi'. It is the blossom of nature that defines the bride.

'Varudu'(Bride Groom):

The divine trinity of 'Vishnu', 'Brahma', 'Maheshwara' is combined to form the groom. Evolved to walk in the enlighted path shown by the Lord himself.

'Baasikam':

The body of a man consists of many veins among which 'idi', 'pingala', 'sughamna' are quiet important. Amoung them 'sughamna' has 'surya nadi' and 'chandra nadi' on either side. The two meet in the middle of the forehead. Hence a 'Basikam' is tied at that point for both the bride and groom to protect them from ill omens.

1. ' peLLi chuupulu' :

The parents of the bride and the groom arrange for a meeting of the two in a controlled environment, this is very important for the two as they start a new life together. During this time the two get to know about each others likes and dislikes and bond with each other and develop an understanding about eachother. This is the most memorable moment in anyone's life.

2. 'nischitaardham' :

If the bride and groom like each other the their parents would talk about dowry and ornaments, (a major part of hindu marriages, it has turned from a tradition to an addiction and hence a black mark on an otherwise beautiful tradition) they find a worthy date for the alliance and and the 'purohit' (priest) writes the 'lagna patrika' (sheet on which the auspicious date and time of the wedding according to astrological allignment of stars) infront of friends and relatives and the parents exchange the 'lagna patrika', and 'tambulalu' ( a symblol of tradition, consists mainly of 2 or more beetal leaves, beetal nuts, any fruit and anything you wish to give the person, like cloth money etc.). This constitutes the main event of 'nischitaardham' or engagement in general. This completes half a marriage.

[Westerners do not usually include parents in the marriagge process, but in India it is still customary to have arranged marriages. Not just parents, every relative has a duty to perform, that way everybody is involved. This may seem old fashioned, but in a country where everything revolves around family a bride is not just marrying a groom she is becoming a part of his family, so it is important that everyone in the family should be comfortable with her.]

3. 'snaatakam' :

This ritual is performed by the 'purohit' either in the house of the groom or in the altar of the marriage itself. After the 'vgneshwara' (ganesh) puja, to get rid of all the sins and have a healthy body and mind this ritual is performed accoring to the 'gotram' (gotram is your ancestral identity, it helps us to know our roots).

4. 'kaasi yaatra' :

Amist of pomp and in the presence of his friends and relatives, holding an umbrella in one hand and a stick on the other, with slippers under his feet and a turmeric filled cloth over his neck, the groom starts on a journey to 'Kasi' (varanasi/benaras) to take a oath of celibacy. Then the brother of the bride approaches the groom saying "Please relive yourself of this journey bachelor. Marry my sister and become a 'gruhastu' (married man)" he places a 'bottu' (a color of red, a must for married women) on his forehead and offers him new cloths and other gifts.

5.'varapuuja- edurukolu' :

The groom who renounces his journey and gets ready for marriage is welcomed and greeted by the parents of the bride with great pomp and joy and is taken to the altar. they are then offered 'paanakam' (sweetened water) and new clothes.

6.'samaavarthanam' :

In indian culture before the marriage the ritul of 'samaavartanam' is performed. This is very important. 'Samaavartanamu' means to return. Which means the man returns to his parents after his education with a master, bachelor completes his responsibility and prepares himself to become a married man. This is a transition from a boy to a man.

7.'kanyaavaranam' :
The father of the bride sees this bachelor and enquiring him about his health and happiness then he counsels him to settle down taking his daughters hand in marriage. After this suggestion the bachelor is then invited to the house of the bride which he accepts and arrives at the same, all dressed up and with a great pomp along with his friends and relatives. The father of the bride invites all of them and arrange for their convenience, and to prepare for the coming marriage. This ia also called 'madhuparkam' or 'edurukolu'.

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