Rhiannon Hendricks
Gujarati weddings are a vibrant affair, with colourful traditions, rituals, and costumes. The wedding is a union of two families, as well as the bride and groom, and the celebrations are spread over several days. The wedding ceremony itself can take up to two and a half hours, but the entire wedding process can last three to four days. The ceremony consists of many prayers and rituals, and drinks and sweets are often served to guests. There are also pre-wedding and post-wedding rituals, such as the pithi or haldi ceremony, where a paste made from turmeric, chickpea flour, and rose water is applied to the couple's faces, arms, and legs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Duration | 3-4 days |
| Pre-wedding rituals | Chandlo Matli, Saanjh Sandhya, Aeki Beki, Chaa Paani, Chero Pakadeo, Chandlo Vidhi |
| Wedding ceremony | Up to 2.5 hours |
| Post-wedding functions | Pithi, Grahashanti, Satak, Garba, Baraat, Cocktail Hour, Reception |
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What You'll Learn
- Gujarati wedding ceremonies can last anywhere from 15 minutes to 6 hours
- The wedding ceremony itself takes up to two and a half hours
- There are many rituals and blessings before the wedding
- The wedding ceremony takes place under a Mandap, a structure with four pillars
- The ceremony includes the bride and groom walking around a sacred fire
Gujarati wedding ceremonies can last anywhere from 15 minutes to 6 hours
Gujarati wedding ceremonies are vibrant, colourful, and festive occasions, celebrated over multiple days. The duration of the wedding ceremony itself can vary, lasting anywhere from 15 minutes to 6 hours. The length of the ceremony depends on the specific traditions and customs followed by the families of the bride and groom.
Gujarati weddings are filled with rituals and traditions, with many pre-wedding and post-wedding functions and ceremonies. The wedding ceremony is a religious one, and it is customary for the families to seek blessings for the couple's happy and prosperous married life. The worship of Lord Ganesha, or Ganesh Puja, is performed separately at the bride's and groom's houses to seek blessings for an obstacle-free wedding. This is followed by the Mandap Mahurat, where both families seek blessings from Mother Earth.
The Pithi or Haldi ceremony is another important ritual, where a paste of turmeric, sandalwood, rosewater, and herbs is applied to the bride and groom's faces and palms. This is usually done a day before the wedding. The Mehndi ceremony is also held at the bride's house two days before the wedding, where the women in the family gather to apply Mehndi to their palms and sing and dance to folk songs.
The main wedding ceremony involves many prayers and rituals and can take up to two and a half hours. The ceremony includes rituals such as Madhuparka, where the bride's mother greets the groom and washes his feet with panchamrut, and Kanya Daan, where the bride's father washes the groom's feet and places his daughter's hand in the groom's. The ceremony concludes with the couple walking around a sacred fire, representing Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha.
Gujarati weddings are known for their folk music, delicious vegetarian dishes, and fun wedding games. The Garba is a traditional folk dance performed by the community, and the wedding is also filled with dance performances by the couple's friends and family. The wedding ceremony is often followed by cocktail hour and a reception, with performances, speeches, cake-cutting, and dinner.
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The wedding ceremony itself takes up to two and a half hours
A Gujarati wedding is a vibrant, multi-day celebration filled with rituals, blessings, and colourful traditions. The wedding ceremony itself takes up to two and a half hours, and is a religious affair, with prayers and rituals. The ceremony takes place in a mandap, a structure with a roof held up by four pillars, symbolising the four parents, who have put in great effort to raise the couple. The mandap is often raised on a stage, with chairs for the couple, priest, and parents, surrounding a small altar with a fire and statues of Hindu gods.
The ceremony begins with the groom being welcomed and led to the mandap by the bride's mother, who washes his feet with panchamrut (a mixture of milk, yoghurt, ghee, honey, and sugar). The bride's maternal uncles then lead her to the mandap, where the couple exchange garlands, signifying their choice of each other. The bride's father washes the groom's feet and places his daughter's hand in his, before the groom's sister ties the groom's shawl with the bride's saree as they hold hands.
The couple then walks around the sacred fire four times, with the groom leading the first three rounds, and the bride leading the last, symbolising dharma (righteousness), artha (prosperity), kama (passion), and moksha (liberation). After this, the bride sits on the left side of the groom, showing that she is now closer to his heart. The ceremony concludes with the Saptapadi, where the couple takes seven steps together on seven betel nuts, making vows with each step.
Gujarati weddings are known for their folk music, delicious vegetarian dishes, and fun wedding games. The pre-wedding rituals are also an important part of the overall celebration, with the Chandlo Matli custom, where the groom and four male family members visit the bride's house, and the engagement ceremony, or Gold Dhana, where the couple exchanges rings and seeks blessings. The Mehndi ceremony, held at the bride's house two days before the wedding, is a colourful and joyous occasion, with women singing and dancing as they adorn their palms with henna.
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There are many rituals and blessings before the wedding
There are indeed many rituals and blessings before a Gujarati wedding. The Ganesh Puja is one of the first pre-wedding ceremonies, performed separately at the bride and groom's houses. This is to seek blessings for a prosperous and obstacle-free wedding and married life. The families also worship Mother Earth and ask her permission to carry out the ritual and build the mandap.
The Chandlo Matli custom is another pre-wedding ritual, where the groom and four male family members visit the bride's house. The bride's father applies a red Chandlo to the groom's forehead, gifts him money and blesses him. The wedding date is also fixed at this time. The engagement ceremony, or Gold Dhana, follows a similar format, with the bride and her family visiting the groom's house with gifts and sweets. The couple exchanges rings and seeks blessings from five married women from each family.
The Mehndi ceremony is another important pre-wedding ritual, held at the bride's house two days before the wedding. The bride's hands and feet are decorated with henna, and the women sing and dance to folk songs. The Sanji ceremony is also a musical event, where both families get to know each other and perform dances together.
The Varghodo is a series of rituals before the groom heads to the wedding venue. The family priest gives the groom's sister a bowl of coins wrapped in cloth, and she moves it around her brother's head to ward off evil spirits. The groom's procession to the venue is filled with singing and dancing, and he is welcomed with sweets and Aarti. The Pokhna ceremony is a playful ritual where the bride's mother attempts to pull the groom's nose, reminding him to remain humble.
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The wedding ceremony takes place under a Mandap, a structure with four pillars
Gujarati weddings are a vibrant, multi-day celebration, filled with colour, music, dance, and ritual. The wedding ceremony itself takes place under a Mandap, a structure with four pillars, each said to symbolise the four parents. The Mandap is similar to the Chuppah in Judaism, and the ceremony shares its name with the structure under which it takes place. The whole setup is intended to turn the wedding location into a temple, reflecting the religious nature of the ceremony.
The Mandap is often raised on a stage, with chairs for the bride, groom, priest, and parents, surrounding a small altar. The altar consists of a fire and statues of Hindu gods. The ceremony can take up to two and a half hours, with many prayers and rituals performed. Drinks and sweets are often served to guests during the ceremony.
The rituals performed under the Mandap include Mangal Pheras, where the bride and groom walk around the sacred fire four times, representing Dharma (Righteousness), Artha (Prosperity), Kama (Passion), and Moksha (Liberation). The groom leads for the first three rounds, and the bride for the last. After the four rounds, the bride sits on the left side of the groom, to signify that she is now closer to his heart.
Another ritual is Saptapadi, where the couple takes seven steps together on seven betel nuts, making vows with each step. The ceremony also includes Jaimala, where the bride and groom put garlands on each other, signifying that they choose each other.
Gujarati weddings are often adapted to fit modern Western conventions, but traditionally, the bride and groom would not see each other until the wedding ceremony. The groom and male members of his family would travel to the bride's town, and the couple would live with their respective families until their wedding day.
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The ceremony includes the bride and groom walking around a sacred fire
Gujarati weddings are a vibrant affair, with colourful traditions, folk music, and delicious vegetarian dishes. The length of the ceremony varies, with some weddings lasting 6 hours, and others being as short as 15 minutes.
One of the most important rituals in a Gujarati wedding is the Mangal Pheras, where the bride and groom walk around a sacred fire. This ritual symbolises their commitment to each other and their promise to face challenges together. The couple circles the fire four times, with the groom leading for the first three and the bride leading the last one. Each circumambulation has its own meaning, representing Dharma (righteousness and duty to uphold family values), Artha (prosperity), Kama (passion) or desires, and Moksha (liberation).
At the start of each round, the bride's brother offers them puffed rice, which they then offer to the sacred fire. This ritual is known as the Saptapadi, and it is one of the most crucial parts of a Gujarati wedding, as it is when the couple takes seven vows of holy matrimony. These vows include promises to love, respect, and care for each other, as well as to plan a family and be together forever.
After the Saptapadi, the couple engages in other rituals to complete the wedding ceremony. The groom applies vermillion to the bride's hair mid-parting, marking her as a married woman. He then ties the Mangalsutra around her neck. Finally, the newlyweds feed each other sweets and seek blessings from their elders, marking the end of the wedding ceremony.
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Frequently asked questions
The length of a Gujarati wedding ceremony can vary. Some sources suggest that the ceremony itself can take up to two and a half hours, while others state that they have been to Gujarati wedding ceremonies lasting 6 hours, 2 hours, or even 15 minutes.
Gujarati weddings are a type of Hindu wedding, but not all Hindu weddings are Gujarati weddings. Gujarati weddings are specific to the traditions of the state of Gujarat.
Pre-wedding rituals in a Gujarati wedding include the Ganesh Puja, where both families pray for an obstacle-free wedding and a prosperous marriage. There is also the Pithi or Haldi ceremony, where a paste made from turmeric, chickpea flour, and rose water is applied to the couple's faces, arms, and legs.
During the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom walk around a sacred fire four times, representing righteousness, success, love, and liberation. The bride's father washes the groom's feet with panchamrut (milk, yoghurt, ghee, honey, and sugar), and the groom's sister ties the groom's shawl with the bride's saree as they hold hands.
After the wedding ceremony, there is often a cocktail hour and a reception, where there may be performances by the couple's friends and family, speeches, and dinner.
