kotty indian affair, wedding tour in india, ashokaholidaysWeddings in India are a perfect blend of serious rituals and customs along with other fun filled lighter moments. The traditional Indian wedding is a lengthy affair of 7-10 days. But for our guests, who fancy a colorful Indian wedding team Ashoka Holidays has planned an abridged version of it wherein all the important rituals and few interesting customs have been incorporated. The role of the family and friends will be played by us and we promise to make you feel at home.
“You Bring Love For Each Other And A Wish To Wed The Indian Way. Leave The Rest To Us.”
DAY 1: PRE-WEDDING FUNCTIONS, Jaipur
You will be received on arrival at Jaipur. Check into the hotel for lunch & some rest. In the evening get ready for the Sangeet ceremony – an absolute musical entertainment. The ladies sing to the beats of a double headed hand drum, the songs that focus on the bride and the groom. The Bollywood numbers have also become the order of the day. Traditionally the ceremony is performed at the bride’s house a few days before the wedding. In Sangeet Ceremony friends & family members from both sides meet each other and sing, dance along. This is followed by some refreshments.
1. “Atithi Devo Bhav” meaning “Guest is God”
2. Raksha Sutra a thread tied around the wrist for the well being of the wearer
3. Tilak vermillion on the forehead to welco
DAY 2: THE D-DAY
In the morning the bride and the groom are smeared with a paste of turmeric and sandalwood powder – considered to enhance their beauty. Later, a professional heena artist will work out a beautiful design on the hands & feet of the bride.Early in the evening, both the bride and the groom will get ready for the wedding function. The groom dons a brocaded Sherwani while the bride flaunts a richly embroidered beautiful lehenga (trousseau) and matching ethnic Indian jewelry.The groom and his companions, barat, assemble at a place from where they move to the wedding venue dancing to the tunes of a brass band that leads them. The groom rides a decorated horse or a horse drawn chariot.At the venue, the barat is welcomed with garlands and tilak (vermillion mark on foreheads). The bride and the groom are seated on ornamented chairs on a raised platform where they exchange garlands as a gesture of acceptance of one another. This is called jaimal. It is followed first by a photo session and then by a dinner.Now, the bride and the groom along with others move to mandap for phere. The priest chants the hymns from the Hindu scriptures and the couple takes the saat phere (seven circumambulations around the sacred fire). Each phera stands for a vow that the couple undertakes. The father of the bride places her hand in the groom’s hand called as the kanyadan i.e. giving away of the daughter and requesting him to accept her as an equal partner.In the end the groom applies sindoor (powdered red lead) to the bride’s hair and ties a mangalsutra (thread of goodwill) round her neck. In the meantime, the sisters-in-law hide the shoes of their brother-in-law (groom’s brothers & sisters trying to prevent them) and return them only in exchange for money – a pure fun activity. Meanwhile, we decorate the room for the bride and the groom with flowers & candles.
Mandap and Saat-phere literally “sacred fire and seven circumambulations around it”. The priest chants the hymns from the Hindu scriptures and the couple takes the saat phere (seven circumambulations around the sacred fire). Each phera stands for a vow that the couple undertake
DAY 3 – BIDDING ADIEU, Jaipur
The marriage is solemnized but the fun is not all over. In the morning after breakfast, family and friends gather for another round of activity. A pot of water is mixed with milk and vermillion. A ring and a few coins are thrown into the mixture. The bride and groom are given seven chances to fish out the ring. The winner is predicted to be the boss in the marriage. In the end we bid adieu to the newly wed with all our heartiest wishes.
INDIAN WEDDING GLOSSARY
or say the Indian wedding terms and conditions.
Barat: Royal and pompous wedding Procession from Groom’s Side with lights, band, music, dance and fireworks. Groom, upon Ghori, is the central character around whom all party.
Baratis: The guests who are part of the Barat, the wedding procession from groom’s side.
Doli: The palanquin, yesteryears alternative of car to carry the bride from her maternal home to her new home. Our guest couple (bride and groom) has the option to choose between the modern and the traditional
Dulha: The Groom. Also called and treated as ‘Narayan’ meaning ‘God Vishnu’
Dulhan: The Bride. Also called and treated as ‘Laxmi’ meaning ‘Goddess Laxmi’
Ghori: Mare. Well caparisoned for the occasion
Haldi and Chandan: Turmeric and Sandalwood respectively. Unripe turmeric and Sandalwood are applied on the faces and body of bride and groom. This homely face pack application is itself a custom with all elders contributing a little on the face of the bride and groom, the goddess and god for the occasion.
Jaimal: The exchange of garlands by the two – the bride and the groom. The moment of the evening.Kanyadan: Custom of giving of daughter to her man. Done by girl’s father by placing girl’s hand on the hand of her groom.
Lehenga: The flowing and flamboyant Trousseau which is a usual bridal wear
Mahila Sangeet: Ladies musical. The evening for music and entertainment by the ladies and for the ladies, however, mostly joined by all friends and family members.
Mehendi: literally Heena and the amazing designs thereof. The precise design is done on the palms, forearms and feet of the bride and only palms of the groom. A belief says the stronger or darker the color of mehendi on bride’s palms the more loving the husband is.
Mandap and Saat-Phere: The Sacred Fire and seven circumambulations around it, respectively, taken by the bride and groom, after having tied the knot, to the accompaniment of sacrosanct mantras (hymns) chanted by the priest
Mangalsutra: Sacred thread of vow and goodwill that husband puts around his wife’s neck.
Pundit Ji: Pundit is Priest. Ji is a Hindi suffix in honor of the person
Pooja:God Worship
Tilak: Vermilion mark applied on the forehead of the guests on reception or on the foreheads of the devotees and people attending worship..
CEREMONIES END AND JOURNEY BEGINS.
WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY MARRIED LIFE !!
