A marriage is perhaps the most important social occasion for any

family as well as for the individual. Marriages in India reflect all the

regional colors overlaying the basic religious rites. Literally "taking

the girl away in a special way or for a special purpose", marriage

is a focal point for a family gathering, with people traveling long

distances to participate in it. Before the marriage an engagement

ceremony called "sagai", is performed. A Hindu marriage follows

the rituals which started in the vedic times.First a muhurat is chosen,

an auspicious time of the year.The wedding is usually conducted at

the bride's place. Entire families gather and the evening is spent

singing, dancing and eating. A day before the wedding the palms

and feet of the bride are decorated with "henna" , in the mehandi

ceremony.A canopy or mandap decorated with flowers is erected

at the place of wedding. On the wedding day the bride and

groom are anointed with turmeric in their respective homes.

The bride looks resplendent in all her finery.The following

description of a typical Indian bride has been given in the great

Indian classic, the Ramayana - "She is arrayed for her wedding

in gossamer fine, red garment, which is embroidered with gold,

and jeweled butterflies and other ornaments adorn her lustrous

black hair. She is wearing precious gems in her ears, and her

arms and wrists are covered with bracelets, while a golden band

encircles her slender waist and anklets of gold shine on her feet."

The present day Indian bride also dresses almost the same way.

The north Indian bridegroom ties a viel of flowers,called sehara,

to their turban. It is said that the tying of sehara confers the status

of Vishnu on the groom.The Indian wedding procession of the

groom or the "Baraat" is the main event on the groom’s side, who

get off compared to the more elaborate arrangements that are the

responsibility of the bride's parents. The baraat is headed by a

deafening display of fireworks and vigorous dancing of the congregated

folks.The bridegroom is on the horse.Accompanied by the rhythm of the

north Indian "dholak" to the brass bands the baraat finally reaches the

milani or the meeting point, where the elders of both the families meet

and the baraaties are welcomed with garlands and arati. The groom is

welcomed by the brides mother, she performs a arati, womanfolk

shower flowers on him and then he is taken inside the pandal.The

bride then comes with the jaimala, and both the bride and the

groom exchange garlands to denote formal mutual acceptance.

After this the bride and groom sit in the mandap next to each other

before a sacrificial pit or havana kund. The elders of the house, and

the friends of both the bride and groom remain near the mandap, some to

carefully follow the ritual, some to enjoy the ambiance. Rest of the guests

start towards the other most interesting part of the pandal, the food section.

Food is one of the central themes at any Indian wedding. However the

color and spice may vary from region to region.After kanyadaan where

the bride is given to the groom by her father, symbolically giving her to

Vishnu, the ritual of pradakshina starts, in which the bride and the groom

ritually walk seven times around the sacrificial fire. Also called

"phera",this signifies their union. The marriage ceremony now

enters its most important phase the saptapadi, in which the bride

and the groom take seven steps together facing the north. After

which the bride comes to the groom's left, leaving his right side

free to take on the world. The couple are now considered married.