The North Indian Hindu weddings have been captured time and again in several Bollywood movies. There is a lot of dance, band baaja and overall fun. Here are some of the important events that encapsulate your typical Dilli wedding.
Sagai or Engagement
Being one of the most important events, the engagement ceremony is celebrated with as much pomp as the actual wedding. The bride and the grooms side give several gifts to each other and this is when the bride and groom are presented with their respective wedding trousseau by their future in-laws. An exchange of engagement rings by the new couple is followed by a party.
Mehendi and Sangeet
The mehendi and sangeet involve the application of henna to the bride's arms, legs and feet. This is followed by a sangeet where everyone sings and dances. The modern sangeets usually have a DJ who manages the whole show.
Baarat
The baarat is a very important part of a North Indian wedding. The groom seated on a horse, comes with his family to the wedding venue to be received by the bride's family. He is usually preceded by a band and everyone comes dancing to the venue. The groom is then received by his future in-laws who welcome him with an aarti and by applying vermillion to his forehead. He is also fed a mixture of honey and yoghurt to signify happy beginnings.
Wedding
The wedding takes place in front of the holy fire or havan, accompanied by the recitation of several shlokas by the pandit presiding over the ceremony. An important part of the wedding ceremony includes the Jaimala or exchange of garlands. The other important part of the wedding is the Gathbandhan, where the groom's stole is tied to the bride's pallu. This signifies the coming together of the bride and the groom. This is followed by the Saath Phere, where the bride and the groom walk around the holy fire. The two symbolic rituals in the wedding are the tying of the mangalsutra to the bride by the groom and the application of sindhoor to her forehead.