Maharashtrian Wedding Ritual

Indian wedding is the celebration of the union of two hearts and two families. This union is celebrated in a lavish and grand manner. There are many religions that flourish in India. All these religions have their own rituals and customs to follow. Maharashtrian weddings are very vibrant and colorful.

Maharashtrian weddings follow the pre-wedding, the post-wedding and the wedding day rituals. It has many rituals and customs to follow. This rituals and customs play a significant role and is a inseparable part of Indian weddings. The rituals followed in a Maharashtrian wedding are simple yet very impressive to witness. The Maharashtrian weddings are usually carried out in the morning. An auspicious day or Mahurat is decided by the priest. Matching of the bride’s and the groom’s horoscope plays an important role in planning a Maharashtrian/Marathi wedding.

A maharashtrian wedding stretches up to many days and is filled with excitement and enthusiasm. The wedding ceremony begins with the Sakhar puda or the engagement ceremony. Here the bride and groom exchange rings with each other. This ceremony is the official announcement of the wedding that will commence within few days or months.

The next to follow is the Seemant puja where the groom’s family is worshipped when they arrive at the bride’s place and the Kelvan that takes place two days before the wedding day. It is a feast arranged for the family members. It is carried out both at the brides and the groom’s house. We then have the mehendi and the Haldi ceremony where turmeric paste is applied to the groom and the bride. The last pre-wedding ceremony is the Chuda ceremony where the bride wears the auspicious green bangles that symbolize the beginning of her new life as a married women.

As per the maharashtrian ritual, the brides maternal uncle holds a significant place in all the wedding rituals. He leads the bride to the Mandap. The girl and the boy are not allowed to see each other. The bride enters the Mandap when the partition of cloth called the Antarpaat is put up. The priest then recites the wedding shlokas and then the Antarpaat is removed. People shower Akshata (unbroken rice) as a symbol of their blessings on the couple. The bride and the groom then exchange garlands with each other.

According to the maharashtrian tradition, the bride is considered as Goddess Laxmi and the groom as Lord Narayan. The couple prays for a happy and prosperous married life and the groom writes his wife’s new name on a plate filled with rice with a golden ring. Indian weddings consider Kanyadaan as the greatest Daan.  In this ritual, the bride’s parents hand over their beloved daughter to the groom. It is also known as “Jhal pirawne”. The groom ties the Mangalsutra around the bride’s neck and applies vermillion powder (sindoor) in her hair parting. The couple takes the Saat Pheres in the presence of the sacred fire and exchange seven vows with each other.

The “Suun Mukh Baghne” is a post wedding ritual that is carried out when the newly wedded couple arrives home. In this ritual, the groom’s mother make her son and her daughter-in-law sit on her lap and then looks at her daughter-in-laws face in the mirror. She also combs the bride’s hair.

The maharashtrian ritual also includes changing the bride’s name after marriage. This is carried out at the groom’s place. The groom writes the new name of his wife on a plate full of rice. The reception party is the celebration for the union of two families and two individuals. It is a lavish feast arranged for the guests attending the wedding.

Maharashtrian weddings is a treat for the spectators, so simple yet so beautiful.