Fun Indian Traditions to Celebrate In A Desi Wedding
Written By Zohra C
Indian wedding traditions have fun customs that are celebrated when a couple comes together with their loved ones. Not only does a Desi wedding celebrate two families coming together with mingling and dancing, but also the customary mischief between the groom’s family and the bride's family. Here are some of the most spectacular traditions you can add to your desi wedding.
1. Mehndi Ceremony
The Mehndi ceremony is a must in an Indian wedding. Ideally, the ceremony is held 2-3 days before the actual reception and is an age-old custom that holds primary importance during the wedding festivities. The bride, as well as all the ladies at the wedding, get their hands painted with beautiful and intricate henna designs, as the bride cannot have her hands bare at the wedding. Sometimes the bride also hides the name of the groom in the intricate designs for him to find on the wedding night.
2. Haldi Ceremony
Haldi (meaning Turmeric) possesses herbal and ayurvedic properties and is applied to the entire body of the bride and groom in separate ceremonies with their respective families. It is a fun tradition that holds numerous benefits for the couple. Turmeric is good for the skin and gives a natural glow. Over the years changes have been made to the celebration, these days the couple gets dressed up for the ceremony instead of the traditional dressing down. Also, the couple now holds a betel leaf in each hand for the guests to put the haldi on.
3. Sangeet Ceremony
Who doesn’t like a dance party? During a Sangeet Ceremony, the bride and groom are all dolled up and ready to be surprised by their family and friends with some spontaneous and other rigorously practiced dance routines, with all the influences of Bollywood. The sangeet ceremony gives an opportunity for the couple to wow each other with their dance moves too!
4. Varmala Exchange
Varmala exchange is the most anticipated tradition in the wedding involving the groom’s friends, and the bride’s brothers. Before the wedding commences the bride and groom have to exchange flower garlands with each other. The bride tries to place the garland around the groom’s neck amidst the deterring attempts made by his friends. The groom follows suit with much thwarting as well. After the garlands are exchanged the couple heads toward the mandap to proceed with the marriage ceremony.
5. Aeki Beki
Aeki Beki is a fun game played after the wedding at the groom’s house with all the family present. A huge brass vessel is filled with water, milk, and rose petals. Wedding rings are dropped in the vessel along with precious metals and pebbles to confuse the couple. The goal of the game is to find the wedding ring. Whoever finds the ring first is supposed to be the dominant person in the relationship and will have an upper hand in decision-making throughout their married life. The relatives make the game exciting by cheering for the couple.
This list does not do justice to the number of traditions celebrated at an Indian wedding. Nevertheless, it is safe to say that, Indian weddings are raging but an effervescent affair that surely should not be missed.
