What is the ritual of marriage for Hindu? In our culture wedding ceremony is a common affair but for Hindus wedding is not a very ordinary affair. According to religious law marriage is a relationship which is performed with the help of divine powers and involves lots of ceremonies and rituals.
For centuries marriages in India used to be arranged personally between the partners by the parents of the bride and groom. But now marriages are also made online and it is common for people to get married in a hotel or any other such place. The main purpose of getting married is to get proper utensils and facilities provided by the marriage partner. It is believed that in ancient times marriages were performed on the auspices of certain deities like “Durga Puja” and “Dahi Handi”.
Marriage as we know now is a contract between two persons. The marriage contract is also called dhams or khayas. The marriage ceremony is considered to be incomplete without these rituals. Many times we have seen marriages being arranged just on the basis of these rituals. These marriages are termed as auspicious or grand marriages in Hindu society.
There are many different rituals involved in the marriage of a Hindu. These rituals are known as dhams or kama. They start from Hindu wedding day itself. First of all, the wedding guests to give flowers and sweets to the couple. This is to show their happiness and affection.
After the wedding day the first dham is done. Then the bride goes to her new home with her new clothes and with her new house-hold items. Her new house is considered to be the mahal. This is where her Lord will live. Her room is the mahal. In Hindu marriages the new husband is kept outside the gate of the manual along with his family and friends.
The next dham is called the “watering of the Feet”. It is the last ritual that is performed in the marriage. Here the bride gets ready to walk towards the stream to bathe. As she walks towards the stream, the priest of the marriage takes a knife and cut the thread that is used for the ceremony of tying the nuptial knot.
Then the priest brings the bride near the pool of water. Here he spreads thousand flowers around her. He asks her to take one flower each day till she gets to her lord. After a year or so she is considered to be a wedded woman. Her new master is given a garland of flowers. This is how the marriage is celebrated in Hindu weddings.
Hindu marriages do not end in a day. There is always some sort of a ceremony or ritual involved. Flowers are a major part of every wedding and they play an important part in almost all the rituals. So, if you want to know what is the ritual of marriage for Hindus then you should know that the use of flowers is very important in the Hindu religion. They believe in the power of flowers and also in the power of sacrifice.
Another thing that you will learn about what is the ritual of marriage for Hindus is that it starts from a very young age. This is because the wedding ceremonies in Hinduism start when a boy is conceived. Girls start getting married only after they give birth to a boy.
In most of the rituals the bride is made to walk the aisle as a man. This is because of the custom that the bride’s house was once owned by a man. The groom is accompanied by his family and friends. A priest presides over the wedding and makes the necessary speeches. The bridegroom also leads the rituals by offering his right hand to his bride.
The wedding is celebrated in a temple of any religion that the couple chooses. There are many Hindu temples that host wedding ceremonies. Some of them have the images of Hindu gods on their walls. Pictures of the groom and the bride are painted on the wall in Hindu style and colors.
The marriage is then celebrated with all the family and friends. This is a day which is to be joyous and memorable. There is a lot of dancing, music and merry making. The wedding feast is served after the wedding ceremony. The wedding feast consists of food cooked in spices and curry.