Punjabi Wedding
Punjabis are large hearted people who love splendor and grandeur. They are also keen on festivals and celebrations. This nature of Punjabis also reflects in their marriage celebrations. Like other Indian weddings, a Punjabi marriage ceremony is very ritualistic but also full of fun and frolic. It is in fact one of the most colorful and musical marriage ceremonies in the country. Each ceremony is like an excuse for merriment. A Punjabi Wedding is very vibrant and celebrated like a big carnival, exhibiting splendid grandeur.
Sagan Ceremony
Sagan ceremony can be held either at the groom’s house or at a banquet hall before one day marriage. A havan is performed by a pundit. Thereafter, the prospective bride’s father applies Tilak (made of kesar, rice grains and flower petals) on the boy’s forehead. All the relatives and friends of the girl’s side come forward to bless the prospective groom, offer sweets to him and give him cash/gifts.
Jago
Jago is the musical program, which is held at both the bride as well as groom’s house. In the sangeet session, wedding folk songs are sung and all the relatives and friends dance to the tunes of the music. This ceremony is considered auspicious as the wedding songs are said to be full of blessings for the prospective couple. Also, this ceremony becomes amusing with interesting songs with teasing punches for the prospective couple and dance performances by every younger and elder member of the family.
Vatna
Four lamps or diyas are lit and the bride is made to sit facing them. Oil is constantly poured into the lamps, so that the glow from diyas is reflected on her face. Vatna involves applying the paste made from turmeric powder and mustard oil all over the boy’s body by his friends and relatives. This is done to make the boy look more beautiful on the special day of our life.
Sehrabandi
Like the bride’s home, the Vatna and Ghara Ghardoli are followed by the dressing up of groom in his wedding attire. After the groom has dressed up in his wedding clothes, a pooja is performed. Thereafter, the groom’s father or any elderly relative ties the "sehra" on the groom’s head. The boy also wears a pink color turban, which is touched by all the people present in the pooja. After the completion of Sehrabandi ceremony, all those who witness the function give gifts and cash to the boy as a token of good luck.
Ghodi Chadna
The Ghori Chadna is the final ceremony at the groom’s place. The groom’s sister-in-law lines the boy’s eyes with surma. Thereafter, the groom’s sisters and cousins feed and adorn his mare. To ward off the evil eye, people use cash and perform the Varna ritual. After that the boy climbs the horse and immediately leaves his home for the wedding venue.
Milni Ceremony
When the groom’s barat reaches the wedding venue, Milni ceremony is performed. The bride’s close relatives give a warm welcome to the groom and his relatives with flower garlands. Rose water is sprinkled on them. In the Milni ceremony, the girl's relatives give Shagun (a token of good luck) to the groom's close relatives. It is done in the descending order, beginning from the elder most. Cash and clothes are gifted.
Anand Karaj
The wedding is actually solemnized with important rituals- the Kanyadaan, in which the bride’s father giving his daughter's hand to the groom, the Lawan around the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, When all these rituals are over, the couple gets up to touch the feet of all the elder members in the family and seek their blessings for a happily married life.
Vidaai ( Doli) Ceremony
In the Vidaai ceremony, the bride departs from her parental house and bids goodbye to her parents, friends and relatives. While leaving the home, the bride throws back handful of puffed rice back at the main exit of her father’s home as a token of her father’s prosperity and good luck. Thereafter, she boards a beautifully decorated car and heads her way towards her new home
Pani Warana Ceremony
After the marriage is over, the bride is welcomed at the groom’s house. She is welcomed by her mother in law at the entrance of her new home by putting the sarson ka tel (mustard oil) on both the sides of the entrance door. Then, a traditional aarti of both the bride and the groom is performed by groom’s mother with water and milk.
Piyala Ceremony
Piyala Ceremony is the formal welcome of the new bride in new house with seven bites of butter and sugar by groom’s mother. The mother-in-law gives the bride jewelry, cash and gifts. It is a ceremony to facilitate intimacy. The other relatives also give presents and cash to the bride.
