Marriage Blog: The Big Fat Gujarati wedding Rituals | Gujarati Wedding Ceremony

Indian weddings take us by the storm by showcasing grace and joy all at once. With a colorful showcase of what brings two families together, people are left in awe of the gravity in which weddings are celebrated. All weddings have a certain charm and anonymity to them, what gets Gujarati wedding apart is its rituals.

Wedding rituals differ from each place. People are bound together all over India by a variety of beliefs that still ground them to their motherland, Gujarat showcases the beauty of these beliefs a tad bit extravagantly beautifying the entire aspect of the occasion.

Weddings are considered holy, hence termed ’holy matrimony’! These weddings rituals are categorized as pre-wedding rituals, wedding rituals and post wedding rituals.

One might feel a bit overwhelmed but, the Gujaratis go all in, in showering love to bless the bond being created.

The listing below these wedding rituals in the aforesaid divisions:

Gujarati Pre Wedding Rituals

• Chadlo Malti
• Gol Dhana/ Gor Dhana
• Mandap Mahurat
• Griha Shanti
• Mehndi Ceremony
• Sanji
• Pithi Ceremony
• Mosalu

Gujarati Wedding Rituals

• Varghado
• Jaimala Ceremony
• Madhuparka
• Mangal Pheras
• Kansar

Gujarati Post Wedding Rituals

• Chero Pakyo
• Ghar nu laxmi

Gujarati Pre Wedding Rituals

Chadlo Malti

Chadlo Malti is a Gujarati pre wedding ritual wherein after the wedding is fixed between the two families, the father of the bride along with four other male members of the family visits the groom’s family.

There they apply ‘Chandlo’— a red circle made of vermilion right at the center of the groom’s forehead. Along with this, the groom’s family gives him what is called as Shagun— a token of gratitude in the form of gifts.

Gol Dhana/ Gor Dhana

Gol Dhana is translating into coriander seeds and jaggery, this ritual is observed a couple of days before the wedding and is almost similar to the engagement ceremony in other cultures.

Here, the bride’s family pays a visitation to the groom’s family and gifts them with sweets and savouries in containers called maltis, after which the bride and groom exchange rings. Forwarding the same, five married women, from each sides of the gathered families bless the to-be-married couple for a happily married life.

Mandap Mahurat

This observes the official beginning of the wedding where both families perform a sermon seeking blessing from lord Ganesha, praying to clear out obstacles, if any in the path of the couple and hope for a happily married life.

Griha Shanti

This wedding ritual is about the priest performing a sermon to address any impediment that comes in the couple’s path due to planetary movements and changes. The priest offers appeasement to the Gods asking for assistance and blessing to pave the path for an obstacle free life for the two.

Mehndi Ceremony

Mehndi Ceremony is observed two days before the wedding ceremony, in this wedding ritual labyrinthine patterns are made with Henna paste, on the feet and hands of bride. The initials of the groom are placed within the pattern and it is considered holy if the groom is successful to find those initials that marks a positive aura in the marriage.

Other women too take part in this ceremony by decorating their hands and feet and carry forward a ceremony filled with singing and merry making.

Sanji

This wedding ritual sees both families assembling at a venue to perform musicals, dance and singing primarily formulating their traditional dances, which are dandiya and garba. This ritual creates a merry mood for the families to know each other.

Pithi Ceremony

Pithi Ceremony is observed the day before the wedding where, a pithi or a stool is curated for both the bride and groom in their separate homes. They are seated on the stool and are applied with a paste of turmeric, sandalwood, rosewater, herbs and mogra (perfume) attar on their hands, face and feet, after which the bride or the groom is bathed with. This pithi is basically put forth by the paternal uncle’s wife.

Mosalu

Here the groom’s maternal uncle and maternal aunt’s husband go to the brides home to present her with traditional gifts to shower her with affection and to formally welcome her into the family.

Gujarati wedding rituals step by step

Varghado

This ritual quite literally means that the groom is arriving at the wedding destination on a horse. He is welcomed with fireworks and sweets.

Jaimala

In this wedding ritual, the couple exchange garlands to officiate the marriage and to observe equality within the two.

Madhuparka

The groom is led to the wedding mandap by his mother in law. After which, his feet are washed with milk and water, and is offered a sweet drink known as Panchamrut.

Mangal Pheras

Here the bride and groom circle around the sacred fire to pay homage to the four goals in human life: Dharma, Artha, Karma and Moksha.

Kansar

The bride and groom offer each other sweets at the end of the ceremony, marking the completion of holy matrimony.

Gujarati Post Wedding Rituals

Chero Pakyo

This is a joyous informal wedding ritual, where the groom tugs at the mother-in-law’s saree to playfully ask for gifts.

Ghar nu laxmi

The bride is warmly welcomed at the groom’s house and is blessed with aarti and tika by her mother-in-law since she is considered as a bearer of good luck and fortune.

With several other wedding rituals that mark the holy wedding, Gujarati weddings are considered a marvelous yet hefty affair that inc