Wedding
A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. I perform the vedic weddings.
The Vedic Wedding Ceremony is over 5000 years old, and performed in the Sanskrit language. It embodies the ideals of spiritual strength by focusing on the piety of altruistic love. It is the union of two souls, where the Bride and the Groom are no longer independent beings but one integrated personality united to complement each other. Each portion of the ceremony has a symbolic, philosophical and spiritual meaning.
Here is a Sample of the wedding program that I conduct:
BARAAT
Accompanied by his family and friends, the Groom arrives for the wedding. The Bride’s family and friends welcome all.
A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. I perform the vedic weddings.
The Vedic Wedding Ceremony is over 5000 years old, and performed in the Sanskrit language. It embodies the ideals of spiritual strength by focusing on the piety of altruistic love. It is the union of two souls, where the Bride and the Groom are no longer independent beings but one integrated personality united to complement each other. Each portion of the ceremony has a symbolic, philosophical and spiritual meaning.
Here is a Sample of the wedding program that I conduct:
BARAAT
Accompanied by his family and friends, the Groom arrives for the wedding. The Bride’s family and friends welcome all.
SWAGATAM
The Bride’s mother welcomes the Groom and asks if he is ready for lifelong commitment and prepared for the challenges of marriage. The Groom is then asked to break an earthen pot filled with curd, honey, ghee (clarified butter) & cotton. The earthen pot represents the world, and its contents symbolize different experiences the couple will encounter. The Groom is then led to the ceremonial stage (mandaap) where the wedding ceremony takes place.
The Bride’s mother welcomes the Groom and asks if he is ready for lifelong commitment and prepared for the challenges of marriage. The Groom is then asked to break an earthen pot filled with curd, honey, ghee (clarified butter) & cotton. The earthen pot represents the world, and its contents symbolize different experiences the couple will encounter. The Groom is then led to the ceremonial stage (mandaap) where the wedding ceremony takes place.
PUJA:
GANESH, KALASH, and NAVAGRAHA
The wedding ceremony begins with the worship of Lord Ganesh, the remover of all obstacles. The priest continues with invocations and offerings to the Kalash – a copper vessel containing sacred water, flowers, and a coconut symbolizing the universe. In this part of the ceremony, the five universal elements: earth, air, fire, water, and sky are worshipped. The nine planets of the solar system (Navagraha) are also invoked for their blessings.
GANESH, KALASH, and NAVAGRAHA
The wedding ceremony begins with the worship of Lord Ganesh, the remover of all obstacles. The priest continues with invocations and offerings to the Kalash – a copper vessel containing sacred water, flowers, and a coconut symbolizing the universe. In this part of the ceremony, the five universal elements: earth, air, fire, water, and sky are worshipped. The nine planets of the solar system (Navagraha) are also invoked for their blessings.
KANYAGAMAN and MANGALASHTAK
The Bride’s friends and family escort her to the Mandaap (Kanyagaman). A white curtain (Antarpat), a symbol of traditional barriers, is held between the couple. The Bride’s relatives chant prosperous blessings (Mangalishtak). The curtain is then removed, and the Bride and Groom exchange garlands.
The Bride’s friends and family escort her to the Mandaap (Kanyagaman). A white curtain (Antarpat), a symbol of traditional barriers, is held between the couple. The Bride’s relatives chant prosperous blessings (Mangalishtak). The curtain is then removed, and the Bride and Groom exchange garlands.
MADHUPARKA KANYADAAN and HASTAMELAP
The Bride’s Father offers the Groom ghee and curds symbolizing purity and sweetness (Madhuparka). The Bride’s father then presents his daughter to the Groom, who gracefully accepts her (Kanyadaan). The Bride’s parents place garlands made of finely hand-woven cotton thread (Varmala) around the Bride and Groom, and the couple proclaim acceptance of each other.
The Bride and Groom then come together in the “meeting of the hands” (Hastamelap).
VIVAHA HAVAN
The Bride and Groom offer oblations to Agni (the sacred fire), who will serve as witness of the marriage. Together, they make offerings of crushed sandalwood, herbs, sugar, rice, ghee, camphor, and twigs to the ceremonial fire, which symbolizes the removal of darkness and ignorance. Agni leads them to the world of everlasting light and knowledge.
GRANTHIBANDHANA
The ends of their scarves are tied together along with betel nuts, copper coins, and rice, signaling unity, prosperity, and happiness (Granthibandhana). The couple is advised to remember the Divine; look upon others with sympathy, love, and compassion; be strong and righteous; and show goodwill and affection toward each other’s families. Such are the teachings of Dharma, the right way of living.
MANGAL PHERA
The Bride and Groom take four circles around the sacred fire praying for health, wealth, progeny, and happiness. The four rounds symbolize the four purposes of life: Dharma (the spiritual way of living), Artha (prosperity), Kama (pleasures), and Moksha (freedom from worldly bondage). The Bride, representing Divine energy, leads the Groom in the first three rounds, while the Groom leads in the fourth round, signifying completeness.
SAPTAPADI
The Bride and Groom take their first seven steps together (Saptapadi), symbolizing the beginning of their journey as a couple. Each step is a lifelong commitment.
SAPTAPRATIGNA
The couple take seven vows (Saptapratigna):
SINDOOR DAAN
The Groom places sindoor (red powder) in the parting of the Bride’s hair. They also exchange rings at this time. The couple feed each other sweets four times, symbolizing their promise to nurture and care for one another. The number four signifies completion. Now the couple is married. Then they will place their hands on each others hearts and recite the following Vedic mantra:
“Let our thoughts be similar,
let our hearts be similar,
let our minds be similar,
let our life blossom with light and joy”
The Bride’s Father offers the Groom ghee and curds symbolizing purity and sweetness (Madhuparka). The Bride’s father then presents his daughter to the Groom, who gracefully accepts her (Kanyadaan). The Bride’s parents place garlands made of finely hand-woven cotton thread (Varmala) around the Bride and Groom, and the couple proclaim acceptance of each other.
The Bride and Groom then come together in the “meeting of the hands” (Hastamelap).
VIVAHA HAVAN
The Bride and Groom offer oblations to Agni (the sacred fire), who will serve as witness of the marriage. Together, they make offerings of crushed sandalwood, herbs, sugar, rice, ghee, camphor, and twigs to the ceremonial fire, which symbolizes the removal of darkness and ignorance. Agni leads them to the world of everlasting light and knowledge.
GRANTHIBANDHANA
The ends of their scarves are tied together along with betel nuts, copper coins, and rice, signaling unity, prosperity, and happiness (Granthibandhana). The couple is advised to remember the Divine; look upon others with sympathy, love, and compassion; be strong and righteous; and show goodwill and affection toward each other’s families. Such are the teachings of Dharma, the right way of living.
MANGAL PHERA
The Bride and Groom take four circles around the sacred fire praying for health, wealth, progeny, and happiness. The four rounds symbolize the four purposes of life: Dharma (the spiritual way of living), Artha (prosperity), Kama (pleasures), and Moksha (freedom from worldly bondage). The Bride, representing Divine energy, leads the Groom in the first three rounds, while the Groom leads in the fourth round, signifying completeness.
SAPTAPADI
The Bride and Groom take their first seven steps together (Saptapadi), symbolizing the beginning of their journey as a couple. Each step is a lifelong commitment.
- The first step is for mental energy
- The second step is for physical vitality
- The third step is for prosperity and spiritual wealth
- The fourth step is to share joy and lift sorrows
- The fifth step is to be blessed with health and a compassionate family
- The sixth step is to live in harmony with nature
- The seventh step is to remain true friends for life
SAPTAPRATIGNA
The couple take seven vows (Saptapratigna):
- Together we will share in the responsibilities of home and children
- Together we will fill our hearts with strength and courage to accomplish all the needs of the home
- Together we will prosper and share our worldly goods
- Together we will fill our hearts with great joy, peace, happiness, and spiritual values
- Together we will raise strong and virtuous children
- Together we will remain lifelong partners by this marriage
- Together we will cherish each other in sickness and health, in happiness and sorrow, and we will follow the spiritual was of living (Dharma)
SINDOOR DAAN
The Groom places sindoor (red powder) in the parting of the Bride’s hair. They also exchange rings at this time. The couple feed each other sweets four times, symbolizing their promise to nurture and care for one another. The number four signifies completion. Now the couple is married. Then they will place their hands on each others hearts and recite the following Vedic mantra:
“Let our thoughts be similar,
let our hearts be similar,
let our minds be similar,
let our life blossom with light and joy”
ASHIRVAAD
The priest, parents, and elderly relatives present bless the newly married couple (Ashirvaad).
The priest, parents, and elderly relatives present bless the newly married couple (Ashirvaad).
VIDAAI
This is an emotional farewell to the Bride by her family. Then daughter begins a new phase of her life as a wife and becomes a part of her husband’s family. The couple offers rice to Ganesha, asking for his blessing. The Bride then throws a fistful of rice or flowers so the house of her childhood remains prosperous and happy.
This is an emotional farewell to the Bride by her family. Then daughter begins a new phase of her life as a wife and becomes a part of her husband’s family. The couple offers rice to Ganesha, asking for his blessing. The Bride then throws a fistful of rice or flowers so the house of her childhood remains prosperous and happy.
Below is the document with the guidelines and procedures for a wedding ceremony:
| guidelines_and_procedures_wedding_ceremony_2015.docx |