A hindu marriage ceremony

Key features of the Hindu wedding ceremony, vivaha and an accompanying exam question.

1. Why is marriage
important to Hindus?

2. Hindu Wedding Ceremony

3. A Hindu Marriage Ceremony
Mehendi
The night before the wedding the
bride and groom go through a
ceremonial bath, to cleanse
them for the ceremony. The
bride will have her hands and
feet decorated with henna-
mehendi.

4. Red symbolises
Gold symbolises
Fertility
Wealth & Royalty –
the couple are
treated like Rama
and Sita for a day.

5. Event imageQuotes and meaning
Bridegroom
and his
family is
welcomed
at the
bride’s
house
The bridegroom is brought to a
specially decorated altar called a
‘Mandap, offered a seat and a
welcoming drink a mixture of
milk, ghee, yoghurt and honey.
He will be accompanied by all his
family members
Songs of
blessings
The bride and groom stand facing each
other. A silk cloth is held between
them by the priest and to form a
curtain.
Rice grains are distributed amongst the
guests. Songs are sung and guests
shower the couple with rice

6. Flower symbolise
‘Mandap’ is ….
The blooming of a
relationship. The
couples’ love for
each other
The sacred altar
where the ceremony
happens.

7. Rice Having a plentiful
relationship – growth
of the family
Fertility
Nourishing the bond
between the couple
Offering to the Gods

8. Daughter is
given in
marriage by
her father
Father puts the daughters right
hand in the grooms hand. Father
asks the groom to promise to be
moderate in the observance of
his moral duty (dharma), the
earning of money (artha) and the
enjoyment of good things in life
(Kama).

9. Father asks the groom to
promise…..
Passing responsibility
of his daughter over to
the groom – lead a
balanced life

10. The role of the mother
in law …..
How will this effect the
bride?
Is to guide the daughter in
law in life and the new
household
If a bad relationship is formed life can
be difficult for the new daughter in law
Symbolic
exchange of
gifts
The groom’s mother gives an
auspicious necklace (mangala
sootra) to the bride

11. The sacred
fire is lit and
the priest
recites the
sacred
mantras in
Sanskrit
The priest invites the groom to
make offerings to the fire as
certain prayers are said. The
bride shares in this act by
touching his shoulder. The
groom says to the bride “ I am
the sun you are the earth……
The end of the bride’s sari that
hangs over her shoulder is then
tied to the grooms scarf.
(signifying unity – husband and
wife as one)

12. Haran Sacred fire used in ceremonies
Goddess of fire –
power, passion,
light, anger,
warmth
Agni

13. The taking of
vows.
The husband holding his wife’s
hands, says “I hold your hand in the
spirit of dharma we are both
husband and wife.” The couple offer
roasted rice to the sacred fire.
Mantras are then said – the ghee/rice
in the fire is what energises their vows
(brings them to life)
There is unity between
husband and wife
through their sacred
duties.

14. The bride
steps on a
stone
Which symbolises a rock and her
willingness and strength to
overcome difficulties in pursuit of
her duties.
She is someone who is strong
enough to hold her family
together – a great responsibility
What does this show about the character
of the bride?

15. The
seven
steps
The fire
is both a
witness
and
sanctifies
the vows.
This is the main part of the ceremony. The
couple walk seven steps around the sacred
fire reciting a prayer at each step
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Bride’s brothers pour barley into the couple’s
hands to be offered to the fire and to
symbolise that they will work together for the
welfare of society. The husband marks the
parting of his wife’s hair with red powder for
the first time. It is called soodar and is a
sign of a married woman
The first is for food
the 2
nd
for power
the 3
rd
for prosperity
the 4
th
for wisdom
the 5
th
for children
the 6
th
for health
the 7
th
for friendship

16. Viewing the
pole star
If the wedding is in the daytime,
the couple will look in the
direction of the sun in order to be
blessed, and if it is at night they
will look in the direction of the
Pole Star. The wife resolves to
be unshaken and steadfast like
the star.
“The Pole Star is Dhruva,
constant. May I be Dhruva in
my husband’s family.”
The wife is vowing to be stable presence in her
new family and for her marriage to be strong.

17. The
blessings
The couple are blessed by the
elders and the priest for a long
and prosperous married life.
This will be followed by a
sumptuous feast.
When the bride enters the
house of her husband’s family
for the first time, she has one
more ceremony to perform. She
must kick over a metal pot
containing wheat with her right
foot so that the grain, spilt over
the threshold, signifies she will
bring prosperity.

18. The farewell to the bride by her family and friends
is a very emotional episode. The bride is leaving
her parents home to build a life with her husband
and his family. She must overcome all obstacles
and ensure that her arrival in the new family is a
harmonious and successful one

19. Can you...:
• Recognise the similarities/differences
between a Christian wedding and a Hindu
wedding?
• Identify the important stages of a Hindu
ceremony?
• Understand the significance of these
stages in the ceremony?

20. Explain the symbolism and importance of a
Hindu wedding ceremony (6 marks)
Try to use following ideas – Dharma, Karma,
Caste (varna), ashrama, Samskara (Sacrament -
joining of 2 souls) this union may continue over
a number of life times.
Sentence starter
A Hindu wedding is significant because …….
The ceremonies have different symbolic meanings,
such as ……