Common Rituals of a Hindu Marriage

One oI the major religions oI the world, Hinduism oIIers a divine deIinition on the concept oI
marriage. According to the religious texts and manuscripts, Hindu marriage alliances are not just
Ior one liIe but continue Ior seven lives. According to the Hindu dharma, the marriage between a
man and woman is a commitment oI a liIetime. It is one oI the strongest bonds oI love and
dedication between a man and a woman. Most oI the Hindu Marriage ceremonies span Ior
several days. Traditionally, Hindu marriage mantras are in Sanskrit. With times, local language
is also used to conduct the rituals though most oI the Vedic marriage chants are in Sanskrit. The
rituals oI the marriage have also changed with times.
The Hindu Marriage has many rituals and ceremonies associated with it. The Hindu communities
and castes in India have some common customs and traditions oI marriage. There are many pre-
wedding rituals in a Hindu matrimonial Iunction the most common oI them is the sagaai` or
engagement. The engagement ceremony is usually a Iamily Iunction with close Iriends and
relatives attending. The girl and the boy exchange rings and vows Ior long-term commitment
ahead. GiIts and sweets are exchanged between two Iamilies. A small gathering oI Iriends and
relatives over Iood takes place. In most oI the Hindu communities in India, the engagement
ceremony is a Iun-Iilled event.
Most oI the customs and tradition Ior a Hindu community is based on the region and the Iamily
traditions. Another very important ritual in a Hindu marriage is the saat phere` or Saptapadi.
The word Saptapadi is a Sanskrit word and it means seven steps. This ritual is very common in
most oI the Hindu communities in India. The yagna or the holy Iire is in the centre oI the mandap
(the place where the wedding rituals are conducted). The couple aIter completing the rituals
takes seven steps or seven circles around the holy Iire. The groom leads and the bride Iollows in
the Iirst Iour circles. In the other three, the bride leads and the groom Iollows. In some Hindu
communities in India, the groom holds the brides right hand and circles around the Iire. In the
seven circles or seven steps, the bride and groom vows to take care oI each other at all times.
They also vow to be each other strength in times oI crisis. The groom and the bride additionally
promise to love and respect each other in this liIe and are partners in all the other seven lives.
In a Hindu Marriage, the caste system is prevalent and many communities in India still believe in
marrying in the same caste. According to the Hindu Varna System, the Brahmin is considered to
be occupying the highest status. Under the Brahmins, there are many sub-groups like the
Smartha or Advaitic Brahmin, Koti Brahmin, Vaidiki Brahmin, Sthanika Brahmin, Shivalli
Smartha Brahmin, Ambalavasi Brahmin, Maharashtrian Devrukhe Brahmin, Sarola Brahmin and
Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin. Some well-known regional Brahmin communities in India are
Iyengar Brahmin, Dvaitic Brahmin Madhva Kannada Brahmin, Shivalli Brahmin, Kanyakubja
Brahmin, Bengali Vaid Brahmin, Maithil Brahmin and Telugu Madhwa Brahmin.
Another popular caste in India that Iollows the Hindu marriage rituals and customs is the Bania.
The Bania community members are mostly in trade and business. Majority oI the community
members are settled in the Northern Indian states. Under the Bania caste, there are many sub
groups such as Gupta, Agarwal, Barnwal, Bharbhunja, Garg, Mahuri and Maheshwari. The
Rajputs, the Jats, the Kayastha, the Leva Patil, the Lohana and the Padmashali are some Hindu
community oI India, which also believes in the Hindu marriage rituals and traditions.
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