The Rituals and Traditions Associated With A Punjabi Wedding
Punjabis are fun-loving people and when it comes to celebrating a wedding, they know how to make this important event of life a grand one. They not only love to enjoy these occasions themselves but also know how to entertain their guests. A Punjabi matrimony also has a number of fun and exciting rituals that are performed throughout the course of a wedding; right from match making to getting married.
Like any Indian wedding, Punjabi weddings are also filled with interesting and colourful traditional rituals. The rituals are divided into three parts – pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding.
Pre-wedding rituals
Pre-wedding rituals are the start of a blissful Punjabi matrimony. There are various pre-wedding rituals and in this phase, the couple commits to enter into wedlock; and refuse other proposals.
• Rokka – This ceremony marks the beginning of a new family relation between the families of the bride-to-be and the groom-to-be. It is an unofficial engagement ceremony where the groom’s family visits the bride and presents here with gifts, blessings, and fruits.
• Sagan – The next ceremony followed is Sagan. This is usually held at the groom’s place. The bride’s family visits the groom; the father of the bride applies a tikka on the groom’s forehead and offers gifts to his family.
• Chunni Chadana – This ritual takes place either during the Rokka or Sagan ceremony. In this ritual, the groom’s mother puts a red or pink chunni (veil) on the girl’s head. Sometimes this chunni is a family heirloom, passed down from generation to generation. The bride-to-be is also given jewellery by the groom’s family.
• Sagai – Pre-wedding ceremony is incomplete without the engagement. This is actually the official engagement ritual, where rings are exchanged by the bride and groom. Gifts are also exchanged between families.
• Mehendi and Sangeet – These ceremonies take place a day or two before the wedding. These are the last major rituals and is organised at both the houses. In Sangeet, the function is usually hosted at the girl’s place where dance party is organised, followed by dinner. During the Mehendi ceremony, which takes place in both the groom and the bride’s places, mehendi (henna) is applied on the female members of the families.
Wedding Rituals
A Punjabi wedding is filled with a lot of fun and entertainment; and of course, some of the most interesting rituals. Let’s take a look at some of the rituals that take place on the D-day.
• Chura – This ritual takes place at the bride’s house and the oldest maternal uncle or aunt gifts a set of red and cream ivory bangles. These bangles are touched by all those who are present before the bride wears them.
• Haldi – It is a ritual that takes place in both the houses before the marriage. Haldi or turmeric paste is smeared on the faces and bodies of the bride and groom. This is usually done to get that natural glow before marriage. Also, the relatives apply oil on their foreheads.
• Ghara Gharoli – The bhabi’s (brother’s wife) of the groom and the bride brings water from the Gurudwara in a ghara. This water is used by the bride and the groom to take bath after the haldi ceremony.
• Sehrabandi and ghudchadai – After the groom has dressed up for the wedding, a puja is performed. Then, usually, the groom’s sister ties a sehra (headdress) on his head. This ritual is known as sehrabandi. The ghudchadai is the final ceremony at the groom’s house before the wedding.
• Kanyadan and pheras – Kanyadan, literally meaning giving the daughter away, is a ritual where the bride’s father gives his daughter’s hand to the groom. In a Hindu Punjabi wedding, the couple takes seven mangal pheras (vows) in from the of the agni (fire). After this, the groom applies sindoor (vermillion) on the bride’s forehead and ties the mangalsutra necklace to the girl’s neck. In a Sikh Punjabi wedding, the bride and the groom walk in tow around the Guru Grant Sahib four times. This is known as laavan and signifies that they not only accept each other as one soul in two bodies but also Guru as the centre of their marriage.
The bride and the groom are now finally together and the pheras mark the end of the wedding ceremony.
Post-wedding ritual
After the wedding, it is all about fun and enjoyment. The bride goes to the groom’s house, and the couple invites friends and other members of the family for a post-wedding gala.
• Vidaai – Bidding goodbye to her parents’ house, the bride throws a handful of rice without looking back and her mother catches it in her pallu (folds of the saree). This ritual is known as vidaai.
• Griha Pravesh – When the bride reaches the groom’s house, the mother of the boy puts mustard oil on both sides of the door and the couples are greeted with aarti. The bride enters the house by tossing those vessels of mustard oil. Sometimes vessels of rice are also used.
• Reception Party – Any wedding is incomplete without a reception party. Likewise, a Punjabi wedding is not complete without a grand reception party.
This marks the end of a Punjabi matrimony and puts the curtain on a fun-filled, traditional wedding.
Like any Indian wedding, Punjabi weddings are also filled with interesting and colourful traditional rituals. The rituals are divided into three parts – pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding.
Pre-wedding rituals
Pre-wedding rituals are the start of a blissful Punjabi matrimony. There are various pre-wedding rituals and in this phase, the couple commits to enter into wedlock; and refuse other proposals.
• Rokka – This ceremony marks the beginning of a new family relation between the families of the bride-to-be and the groom-to-be. It is an unofficial engagement ceremony where the groom’s family visits the bride and presents here with gifts, blessings, and fruits.
• Sagan – The next ceremony followed is Sagan. This is usually held at the groom’s place. The bride’s family visits the groom; the father of the bride applies a tikka on the groom’s forehead and offers gifts to his family.
• Chunni Chadana – This ritual takes place either during the Rokka or Sagan ceremony. In this ritual, the groom’s mother puts a red or pink chunni (veil) on the girl’s head. Sometimes this chunni is a family heirloom, passed down from generation to generation. The bride-to-be is also given jewellery by the groom’s family.
• Sagai – Pre-wedding ceremony is incomplete without the engagement. This is actually the official engagement ritual, where rings are exchanged by the bride and groom. Gifts are also exchanged between families.
• Mehendi and Sangeet – These ceremonies take place a day or two before the wedding. These are the last major rituals and is organised at both the houses. In Sangeet, the function is usually hosted at the girl’s place where dance party is organised, followed by dinner. During the Mehendi ceremony, which takes place in both the groom and the bride’s places, mehendi (henna) is applied on the female members of the families.
Wedding Rituals
A Punjabi wedding is filled with a lot of fun and entertainment; and of course, some of the most interesting rituals. Let’s take a look at some of the rituals that take place on the D-day.
• Chura – This ritual takes place at the bride’s house and the oldest maternal uncle or aunt gifts a set of red and cream ivory bangles. These bangles are touched by all those who are present before the bride wears them.
• Haldi – It is a ritual that takes place in both the houses before the marriage. Haldi or turmeric paste is smeared on the faces and bodies of the bride and groom. This is usually done to get that natural glow before marriage. Also, the relatives apply oil on their foreheads.
• Ghara Gharoli – The bhabi’s (brother’s wife) of the groom and the bride brings water from the Gurudwara in a ghara. This water is used by the bride and the groom to take bath after the haldi ceremony.
• Sehrabandi and ghudchadai – After the groom has dressed up for the wedding, a puja is performed. Then, usually, the groom’s sister ties a sehra (headdress) on his head. This ritual is known as sehrabandi. The ghudchadai is the final ceremony at the groom’s house before the wedding.
• Kanyadan and pheras – Kanyadan, literally meaning giving the daughter away, is a ritual where the bride’s father gives his daughter’s hand to the groom. In a Hindu Punjabi wedding, the couple takes seven mangal pheras (vows) in from the of the agni (fire). After this, the groom applies sindoor (vermillion) on the bride’s forehead and ties the mangalsutra necklace to the girl’s neck. In a Sikh Punjabi wedding, the bride and the groom walk in tow around the Guru Grant Sahib four times. This is known as laavan and signifies that they not only accept each other as one soul in two bodies but also Guru as the centre of their marriage.
The bride and the groom are now finally together and the pheras mark the end of the wedding ceremony.
Post-wedding ritual
After the wedding, it is all about fun and enjoyment. The bride goes to the groom’s house, and the couple invites friends and other members of the family for a post-wedding gala.
• Vidaai – Bidding goodbye to her parents’ house, the bride throws a handful of rice without looking back and her mother catches it in her pallu (folds of the saree). This ritual is known as vidaai.
• Griha Pravesh – When the bride reaches the groom’s house, the mother of the boy puts mustard oil on both sides of the door and the couples are greeted with aarti. The bride enters the house by tossing those vessels of mustard oil. Sometimes vessels of rice are also used.
• Reception Party – Any wedding is incomplete without a reception party. Likewise, a Punjabi wedding is not complete without a grand reception party.
This marks the end of a Punjabi matrimony and puts the curtain on a fun-filled, traditional wedding.
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