Navigate Indian Weddings like a pro! This guide breaks down essential wedding terms you’ll hear at every celebration.
Walking into an Indian wedding can feel like stepping into a world of beautiful traditions, vibrant colours and rituals you might not immediately understand. The ceremonies are rich with meaning, but the terminology can be overwhelming if you’re unfamiliar with the culture.
Understanding these wedding terms will help you appreciate the depth and significance of each moment. Whether you’re attending as a guest or planning your own celebration, knowing these wedding ceremony terms makes the entire experience more meaningful and enjoyable.
At Wedding Affair, we believe that understanding cultural traditions enhances every celebration, so here’s your complete alphabetical guide to the most important wedding-related terms you’ll encounter at an Indian wedding.
Aashirwad
The blessing ceremony where elders and family members shower the couple with good wishes, flower petals and sometimes money. This ritual invokes divine blessings and represents the community’s support for the new marriage. You’ll witness multiple ashirwad ceremonies throughout the wedding festivities.
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Aarti
A devotional ritual performed with a brass plate containing lit oil lamps or candles, which is waved in circular motions while devotional songs are sung. Aarti is performed to welcome the groom when he arrives and to bless the couple at various points during the ceremony. The flickering flames are believed to ward off evil and invite positive energy.
Agni
The sacred fire that serves as the divine witness to Hindu marriage ceremonies. Agni represents purity, knowledge and the divine presence. All major wedding vows and rituals are performed in the presence of this holy fire, making it central to the ceremony’s spiritual significance.
Baraat
The groom’s wedding procession, traditionally featuring the groom arriving on a decorated white horse, accompanied by his family and friends dancing and celebrating. Modern baraats might include cars, bands and elaborate decorations. This joyous procession announces the groom’s arrival and sets the celebratory tone for the wedding.
Doli
The traditional palanquin in which brides historically travelled from their parental home to their new household after marriage. While modern brides typically travel by car, decorative dolis are still used as ceremonial elements or photo props, symbolising the bride’s transition to married life.
Grahapravesh
The house-entering ceremony performed when the bride arrives at her new home for the first time as a married woman. She typically kicks over a pot filled with rice and coins at the threshold, symbolising prosperity and good fortune entering the household. This ritual marks her official welcome into the family.
Haldi
The turmeric ceremony conducted one or two days before the wedding, where family members apply a paste made of turmeric, oil and other auspicious ingredients to the bride and groom’s face, hands and feet. This ritual is believed to purify the couple, bring good luck and give them a natural glow for their wedding day.
Hasta Melap
The wedding term Hasta Melap means the ritual joining of the bride and groom’s hands, often bound together with a cloth or sacred thread by the priest. This ceremony literally translates to “joining of hands” and represents the couple’s commitment to walk through life together. It’s one of the most symbolic moments of unity in the wedding ceremony.
Joota Chupai
A lighthearted tradition where the bride’s sisters and female cousins playfully “steal” the groom’s shoes during the ceremony and demand money or gifts for their return. This custom adds humour and bonding between the two families while the groom sits shoeless during certain rituals. The negotiations can become quite entertaining.
Kanyadan
One of the most emotion-provoking wedding terms, this ceremony involves the bride’s father formally giving his daughter’s hand in marriage to the groom. Considered one of the highest forms of charity in Hindu tradition, this ritual represents the father entrusting his daughter’s happiness and well-being to her new husband.
Mandap
The sacred four-pillared canopy under which the wedding ceremony takes place. Decorated with flowers, silk drapes and sometimes light, the mandap represents the cosmos and serves as the sacred space where the couple takes their vows. Each pillar traditionally represents the parents of the bride and groom.
Mangalsutra
The sacred necklace that the groom ties around the bride’s neck during the wedding ceremony, similar to exchanging wedding rings in Western traditions. This piece of symbolic jewellery, often featuring black and gold beads or intricate designs, symbolises the wife’s marital status and is traditionally worn throughout married life.
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Mehendi
The henna ceremony where intricate designs are painted on the bride’s hands, arms and feet using natural henna paste. This celebration typically takes place a day or two before the wedding, often accompanied by music, dancing and festivities. The darker the henna stain, the more auspicious it is considered for the marriage.
Mooh Dikhai
The face-showing ceremony where the new bride is formally introduced to her extended family members and in-laws. During the ritual, the bride receives gifts, jewellery and blessings from her new relatives. It’s an important bonding opportunity and marks her official welcome into the extended family.
Pag Phera
The bride’s first visit back to her parental home after marriage, typically occurring a few days to a week after the wedding. This ceremony reinforces that marriage creates new bonds while maintaining family connections. The bride’s parents welcome her back with celebrations and gifts before she returns to her marital home.
Phere/Saptapadi
The seven sacred rounds around the holy fire that constitute the most important part of the Hindu wedding ceremony. Each circle represents a specific vow the couple makes to each other, covering aspects like loyalty, prosperity, family and spiritual growth. After completing all seven rounds, the couple is considered officially married.
Roka
The informal engagement ceremony that marks the official announcement of the couple’s intention to marry. During this ritual, families exchange gifts, sweets and blessings, formally acknowledging the relationship. The roka ceremony sets the wedding preparations in motion and represents both families’ commitment to the union.
Sagaai
The wedding terms Sagaai means the formal engagement ceremony where the couple exchanges rings and receives blessings from both families. This ceremony, though similar, is more elaborate than the roka. The sagaai officially announces the engagement and begins the countdown to the wedding.
Sangeet
The musical celebration typically held a few days before the wedding, where both families come together to sing, dance and perform. This event has evolved into elaborate productions with choreographed performances, live music and competitions between families. The sangeet builds excitement and allows families to bond before the wedding.
Sindoor
The wedding term Sindoor means the red vermilion powder that married Hindu women traditionally apply to the parting of their hair. During the wedding ceremony. The groom applies sindoor to the bride’s hair parting for the first time, marking her transition to married status. This practice continues throughout married life as a symbol of matrimony.
Tilak/Sagan
The ceremonial mark applied to the groom’s forehead using sandalwood paste, turmeric or other auspicious materials, usually by the bride’s male relatives. This blessing ritual welcomes the groom into the family and seeks divine protection for him. Different regions have variations in the materials and patterns used.
Varmala/Jai Mala
The exchange of flower garlands between the bride and groom, symbolising their acceptance of each other as life partners. This ritual often includes playful moments where family members lift the bride and groom to make the garland exchange challenging. The garlands are made of fresh flowers, often roses, marigolds or jasmine.
Vidaai
The emotional farewell ceremony when the bride leaves her parental home to begin her new life. This bittersweet moment involves the bride throwing handful of rice and coins over her head towards her childhood home, symbolising her gratitude and the prosperity she’s taking with her. It’s traditionally one of the most emotional moments of the entire wedding.
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Understanding these wedding terms transforms your experience from simply observing beautiful rituals to truly appreciating their cultural significance. Each ceremony connects the couple to generations of tradition while celebrating their unique love story.
These wedding terms represent more than just vocabulary. They are windows into the values, beliefs and celebrations that make Indian weddings so special. Whether you’re planning your own celebration or attending as a guest, this knowledge can help you participate more fully in these meaningful traditions.
