Marwadi Marriage Customs and Rituals

Marwari marriages in India are celebrated with pomp and gaiety. They are mostly elaborate affairs and they last for several days. Marwari weddings are highly traditional in their style and they give out a regal appeal. As there are not many Muslims and Christians among the Marwadi community, this blog will focus only on the Hindu wedding traditions.

Marwadi Pre-Wedding Rituals

• Tika (टिका) – This is the engagement ceremony and it is the first among many rituals. It is performed at the house of the groom. The male members of the bride’s family visit the place of the groom for this ritual. The brother of the bride or a cousin will apply the `tilak’ on the forehead of the groom and give him various gifts. This function is the seal of benediction on the match making of the couple. A sword is also presented to the groom along with fruits, clothes and condiments.
• Ganapati Sthapna & Griha Shanti (गणपति स्थापन) (गिर शानटी) – These functions take place a couple of days before the marriage. A hawan (हवन) is conducted by the families of the bride and the groom and this involves the installation of Lord Ganesha’s idol for invoking his blessings on the couple and both the families.
• Pithi Dastoor (पिठि दत्तुर) – It is also known as the Ban Ceremony (प्रतिबंध समारोह). It is an important function that involves the groom and the bride and it continues until the day of the marriage. Sandalwood and turmeric paste are applied to the faces of the bride and the groom. As per customs, the groom and the bride cannot leave their respective houses once the Pithi function starts. The bride will usually dress up in a conventional orange poshak or dress and is made to sit under a silken canopy. This is held by swords on its four corners and four ladies support it. These ladies have to be Marwari and belonging to the same clan as the family of the bride. The bride is brought to the gathering of other ladies with accompaniment of Nagara and Shehnai musicians.
• Mehfil (मेहफिल) – This is the core part of a Marwadi wedding. It is generally held in the evenings. Separate mehfils are organised for men and women. The ladies gather at a selected and central place in an enclosed hall or a courtyard. They will all be dresses in stunning dresses and mehfils are famous for the performance of a Ghoomar or a special Marwari dance.
• Mahira Dastoor (महहिरी दत्तूर) – This is another important ritual which is common to both the families. It signifies that the uncles of the bride and the groom will help in the arrangement of all ceremonies.
• Jenav (जेनव) – As per Marwadi customs, the groom is dressed in saffron robes and is made to look like an ascetic. A hawan is performed and the groom has to wear a thread. The saffron robe indicates that the groom has a couple of choices now before him. He has to either renounce this world and become an ascetic or accept the marriage institution and the responsibilities that go with it.
• Palla Dastoor (पल्ला दस्तुुर) – This ritual is conducted on the day of the actual wedding. The Palla consists of clothes, jewellery and other gifts from the groom’s family that is brought to the house of the bride. The bride has to wear these clothes and jewellery gifted to her by her in-laws during the marriage ceremony.

Marwadi Wedding Rituals

• Nikasasi (निकसासी) - On the marriage day, a Rajput Baraat procession will arrive at the house of the bride. This is a regal procession and it does not involve dancing as it is done in various other states. There is a traditional Aarti performed for the groom by the mother of the bride, on arrival. He will then proceed towards the mandap. It has to be noted that during majority of the ceremony, the bride will have her face covered with a long veil. The groom has to wear a pagdi, a customary headgear along with Pecha, Kalgi and Tani. A Sehra of either pearls or flowers is generally tied on this Pagdi.
• Jai Mala (जय माला) – The groom is made to sit on a dais that is exclusively prepared for this Jai Mala ceremony. It is customary for the groom and the bride to exchange garlands at this juncture and this is considered as a necessary step for the wedding rituals.
• Granthi-Bandhan (ग्रंथि बंदनाथ) – This ritual involves the tying of the nuptial knot. A cloth is tied around the waist of the groom and it is knotted with the dupatta of the bride. This function is symbolic of the union of two souls. They become one entity from this day, onwards.
• Paanigrahan (पानिग्राहन) – The hand of the bride is placed in the hands of the groom and this ritual is again a symbol of a pious union and it signifies that the couple will support each other in both good and bad times.
• Pheras (मंडलियां) – The groom and the bride will go around the sacred hawan mandap fire four times. In Marwadi weddings, the pheras are only four as against seven in other communities. The remaining three pheras are performed at the entrance of the mandap. As per Marwadi traditions, the bride leads the groom in the pheras for two rounds and then the groom leads in the balance two rounds.
• Ashwahuhan(अश्वहुहान) – During this ritual, the bride will place her foot on a grinding stone and this custom becomes symbolic of her steadfastness and that she is prepared to face all challenges in her married life, with courage.
• Saptapadi (सप्तपदी) – The bride and the groom will have to walk seven steps together while reading seven vows. This is symbolic of the fact they have walked separately before the marriage but now; they walk together and in synchronisation.
• Aanchal Bharaai (आंचल भराई) – A bag filled with money is put on the lap of the bride by the father of the groom. This is the Marwadi way of welcoming a daughter-in-law into the family and making her aware of her responsibilities towards her new house. The bride will have to distribute a part of that sum to her sister-in-law, if any, and her husband. The couple then receives the blessings of the elders by touching their feet.
• Bidaai (बइदाई) – When it is time for the bride to leave the mandap, a coconut is placed under the wheel of the groom’s car before the bride lifts her veil for the husband, signifying that the marriage ceremony is now over and the family of the bride bids her farewell. At this juncture, the groom generally has to give jewellery as gift to the bride.

Marwadi Post-Wedding Rituals

• Griha Pravesh (गृह प्रवेश) – On arrival of the bride at the house of the groom, the family of the groom welcomes the bridal couple. This is the Griha Pravesh ritual and the bride has to knock over a brass vessel filled with rice grains into the house with her right foot first as she enters.
• Pej Lagni (पेज लैग्नी) – As per Marwadi customs, once the Griha Pravesh ritual is over and the bride dips her foot in water mixed with red vermilion powder, all members of the family of the groom are introduced to her and she has to touch the feet of the elders to receive their blessings. Gifts are presented to the bride.