Hinduism

The parents begin the search to find a wife for the boy and fix the engagement ceremony. When the parents deem the boy ready for marriage, they tell everyone in the area that he is eligible to marry until they are contacted by other parents who are finding a mate for their daughter. There is a ritual for the father of the bride giving her away to the groom in this ceremony. Engagement is the next special event for the boy after the thread-tying ceremony.

 

In Hindu families, marraige is important to carry on the family name. The engagement ceremony includes a majestic meal, a Brahman priest, lighthearted promises from the bride and groom to be good to each other, and a priest performing the marriage with certain rituals specific to each family. Lower castes do not have a Brahman priest conducting the marriage, and usually a the father of one of either the bride or groom performs it. There are similarites in all castes though, such as the marriage usually including a part where the groom places an ornate necklace called a mangle sutra around the bride’s neck. This action symbolizes their union and a picture of the necklace is shown.

 

The wedding ceremony has several rituals in it that involve materialistic things such as sacred thread and fire. As shown in the first picture, first the bride and groom face each other in special chairs. Then they are joined together by a sacred thread looped around both of their heads. Also included is when the groom puts the mangle sutra on the bride's neck. Depending on if they are of a higher caste, some of the weddings may include the giving of money to the groom by the relatives of the bride.

 

The most important part of the wedding comes after the bride and groom shift their chairs side by side. A sacred fire is lit and the couple walks around it together. They walk around it seven times, and on the seventh lap, their feet are tied together. They take seven steps while tied, symbolizing their start of a new life together.