Post-wedding ceremonies are an important part of Indian weddings. Even after the main wedding ceremony, the celebrations don’t stop for at least a month but rather continue with joy and enthusiasm.
Indian wedding rituals can be divided into three categories such as pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding. Like any other ritual, post-wedding rituals are also an important part of the marriage ceremony. The post-marriage rituals are conducted to celebrate the commencement of a new phase in a couple’s life and as an introduction of the bride to her new family. They tend to bring a sense of belonging and togetherness and evoke emotions in the family. These rituals are enjoyed by young and old alike, making the rituals an important part of the wedding ceremonies.
Vidaai
Vidaai is a ceremony that marks the completion of a wedding according to Hindu rituals. On one hand, there is joyfulness in the air for the wedding, and on the other, there is sorrow of the girl leaving her husband’s home. This ceremony is filled with overwhelming emotions, where the bride throws rice over her head five times, symbolising wealth and prosperity for the parent’s home. This ritual also means that the girl has paid back her parents in full for everything they have ever done for her. The Vidaai ceremony has profound origins. In ancient times brides were given away to kings and princes as gifts or property, if a kingdom was defeated and surrendered a treaty had to be made. That’s when the concept of Vidaai came into being. In another part of the ritual, the bride’s brothers push the car, which holds the bride and groom as a symbol of luck, pushing them towards a new life. After the groom’s car moves forward, the girl’s family throws coins on the road to ward off all evils from her new life.
Dwar Rokai Ceremony
This ceremony is mostly performed in North India. This is one of the fun ceremonies where when the newlywed couple arrives at the groom’s home, the groom’s sister does not allow them to come in until her brother gives her a gift or cash. After which the couple gives her an attractive gift, mostly gold or diamond jewellery. This ceremony is often fun to watch because of the light-hearted argument between the brother and sister.
Griha Pravesh Ceremony
Popular in North India, this ceremony consists of a special welcome given to the new bride who is entering their home for the first time as the latest member. This ceremony symbolises the warm welcome of the bride into the groom’s home, showing that she is now an accepted member of the house. A Kalash filled to the brim with rice is kept at the entrance of the home, which is pushed by the bride toppling it with her right foot, which symbolises prosperity. Then she is made to dip her feet into a vessel full of water and vermillion powder or Alta and made to walk into the home leaving traces of red footprints signifying that the goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity has entered the home, bringing with her success and wealth.
Games with Bride & Groom
Once the bride and groom are settled, the groom’s family organises indoor games that are specifically played between the bride and groom all over the country. Games such as finding the ring, untying a knot, identify your bride, tug of war, spot the name, that belongs to my wife etc. are very common.
Mooh Dikhayi
The day the bride arrives in her new household, the Mooh Dikhayi ceremony takes place where all the elderly members of the family gather in a room and give blessings and gifts to the veiled new bride after seeing her face.
Pag Phera Ceremony
This is a very important post-marriage ritual which takes place the next day after the wedding where the bride’s brothers come to bring her back home for three days and after those three days, the groom comes to take her back. Once all these rituals are done, the bride and groom are invited back for dinners and luncheons, which go on for over a month before the couple heads off for their honeymoon.
The beautiful cultural beliefs and heritage of India make one marvel at these stunning displays of culture in marriage ceremonies with their auspiciousness and their symbolic meaning leaves one stunned. The various rituals be they pre-wedding, wedding or post-wedding, all have their beautiful significance. The rituals may vary from region to region but their emotion and values remain the same, preserving their sanctity which makes the weddings a meaningful and memorable event.
