Monday, October 31, 2011

The Baraat of a Sikh Matrimonials


The happy and cheerful sardars and sardarnis dancing to the beats of dholak, a huge procession of musicians, and in the procession is a man riding the horse- Yes guys, I am talking about the ‘baraat’ of a Sikh wedding. The ‘baraat’ or the groom’s procession to the wedding venue is important ritual of Sikh Matrimonials. And, the man riding the horse is the groom himself. Unlike other community weddings where the groom’s procession to the wedding venue happens in the night, the Sikh community baraat happens during the daytime. The groom decked in wedding fineries like sherwani and jeweled turban heads to the gurudwara with his family members and friends. Traditionally, the groom is supposed to ride a horse to venue of wedding. With the changing times, some groom prefers to come by car, decorated with flowers and ribbons.

The groom’s friends and family members dances and sings to traditional Punjabi songs. Women members of the groom’s family equally participate in the dance. Apart from traditional Punjabi songs, the band of musicians also plays latest Punjabi chart busters and pop songs. Everyone present soaks in the dancing spirit. Whether you are a dancer or not the beats of the drum makes you shake a leg. On arrival of the ‘baraat’ in the wedding venue, the bride’s mother welcomes the groom with a tikka and sweets. Traditional Punjabi songs are sung to welcome the groom.

The Sikh matrimonial function is usually held in a gurudwara. According to the custom, a sikh wedding is solemnized in front of the holy book, Guru Granth Sahib. Whether the wedding venue is a gurudwara or any other place, the holy book should be kept before the wedding rituals take place. The granthi is the man who conducts the Sikh wedding, sings hymns from the Granth Sahib. The bride and the groom then encircle the holy book four times. This ritual solemnizes a Sikh wedding.

Author: Shipra Sinha

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Enjoy the Varied Customs and Traditions of Kerala Matrimony


The state of Kerala lies in the southwestern region of India. The population of the state comprises a majority of Malayalee Hindus. Other religions in the state are Islam and Christianity. The Malayalee Hindus are a mixed community, which traces its lineage from the Aryan and Dravidian communities. The followers of Islam in the state are originally Arab traders who have made the state their home. The Christian population in Kerala is mostly from Syria. The Kerala Matrimony differs in customs and rituals for the various religious communities settled in the state.

The Hindu Kerala Matrimony spans for several days with many pre-wedding rituals. The Hindu rituals for the people of state of Kerala are many and one of the important rituals is the ‘Kanyadaan’. In this ritual, the father of the bride gives her hand to the groom. The Hindu bride from the state of Kerala wears a white sari called Mundu and a jubba made of silk. The groom wears a white shirt and a dhoti.

The Kerala Matrimony rituals for the Christian Matrimony members take place in the church. The wedding happens during daytime while the reception party is organized in the evening. The groom wears a western-styled suit while the bride wears a white silk sari. A white veil covers her head. The color white symbolizes purity and most brides in the Christian Kerala Matrimony prefer this color for the wedding dress.

The Muslims of Kerala follows the rituals and customs as stated in the Islamic haddiths. The weddings of the Muslim community of Kerala are a joyous function with fun and serious rituals. The groom and the bride signed the marriage contract known as the ‘Nikahnama’ in presence of witnesses and the qazi. The Muslim brides from Kerala wear traditional styled lehengas. Some also wears a traditional Indian sari on the day of wedding in Kerala Matrimony.

Author: Shipra Sinha

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Enjoy a Sumptuous Feast in a Bengali Matrimony


Food is an important part of any celebration in India and weddings are the perfect place to gorge on the delectable cuisine. And if this is a Bengali wedding then, you should be sure to stuff yourself with a range of items, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. In a Bengali Matrimony, the festivities start few days before the actual day of wedding. There are many rituals before and after the wedding. Bengalis take the best opportunity to cook their traditional delicacies during the four-five days of wedding.

The Bengali community members eat fish, meat and chicken and takes pride in their non-vegetarian recipes. In a Bengali Matrimony, the feast is incomplete without three-four non-vegetarian items. Bengalis are known worldwide for their fish in mustard gravy. Usually the people from Bengal eat sweet water fish. A variety of fish like ‘rui’, ‘katla’, ‘parshey’ and ‘praws’ are cooked in different types of sauces and spice mixture. Apart from this, goat meat and chicken items are also served in a Bengali matrimony. Chicken starters are very common in the Bengali weddings as well.

There are also a number of vegetarian items served along with the non-vegetarian items. Some common food items served in a Bengali matrimony are ‘luchi’ or ‘radhballvi’, ‘chanar dalna’ and ‘begun bhaja’. These are items usually served on the wedding night.

Sweets or misti are integral part on any Bengali Matrimony. ‘Shondesh’, a sweet made from cottage cheese is one of the most popular items in any Bengali wedding. There are many variants served and each one is typical of Bengal. Another very common sweet item is the ‘rossogulla’. This is a widely consumed sweet and liked by young and old alike.

Though most of the food served in a Bengali Matrimonial is traditional fare from the state, some Bengali families include delicacies from other Indian states as well. There are also Chinese and Mughlai items on the wedding menu.

Author: Shipra Sinha

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

The Wedding Attire of Oriya Bride and Groom


Orissa is famous for beautifully patterned silk and cotton saris, and for the weddings and other important occasions, saris are especially woven according to the choice of the bride. There are some typical designs that can be generally observed in the wedding saris in Oriya matrimony. The brides wear heavy gold jewellery and specific patterns of sandalwood paste are designed on her face.

The Oriya community is generally very specific about the wedding attire, especially sari, but with the changing trends, there has been change in the style of wedding attire of the brides also. Nowadays, the fashion has changed and the Oriya brides love wearing fabrics such as crepe, georgette, chiffon, tissue, satin, etc.

Some of the popular colors used in Oriya Matrimony are yellow, golden, pink, orange, maroon, magenta or brown. Dual toned saris such as a combination of red and golden, red and silver, green and red, pink and green, brown and green, pink and blues, and other permutation and combinations of colours are also very popular.

The most preferred colour for wedding attire is Red. The saris and lehengas in red are the favourite choice of the brides in India, since times immemorial. A number of combinations are available with the red colour, which suits every complexion. The warmth of the colour adds to the charm and beauty of the bride, and is associated specifically with marriage.

An Oriya groom wears a dhoti and kurta, which they call Punjabi. A silk or cotton kurta is generally popular for wedding and other ceremonial purposes. The kurta has fine embroidery all over, which is complemented by an Uttariya. The Uttariya is a piece of cloth that the grooms keep around their neck during the wedding. The grooms in Oriya matrimony wear a silk thread around their body, signifying the purity.

Author: Rashmi Karan