Our Shaadi Guru says: "Success in marriage is much more than finding the right person; it is a matter of being the right person."
We all agree that marriage is not an easy institution - it's about commitment, adjustments, compromise and a little bit of luck. That's probably why there are so many traditions that supposedly bring good luck to the couple getting married. Whether you believe in them or not... a little bit of extra luck definitely can do no harm, you'll agree!
Almost all Hindu weddings commence with the Ganesh Puja or the Griha Shanti Puja. A havan is conducted to purify the environment, to appease the Gods and seek their blessings so that all goes well. The Gujaratis perform the Griha Shanti Puja, Marwaris, the Ganesh Sthapna, Maharashtrians, the Simant Puja, Sindhis, the Berana and Punjabis, the Roka.
The groom's female relatives perform the God Bharai Rasam for the bride where they shower upon her gifts and sweets. Clothes, jewellery and cosmetics are given to the bride. A small doll is also given to the bride to augur a happy and prosperous married life blessed with children.
The bride and the groom exchange garlands or Varmalas. The entwined flowers in the garlands symbolise the everlasting bond between the two and the promises they make each other.
In the Hast Milap ceremony the hands of the bride and groom are tied together by a protective sacred thread. To attain its shielding quality, the thread must bear a steel ring, some yellow mustard and seven knots. All negative energies are now considered warded off and new energy flowed in. The bridal couple now has additional emotional support and self-confidence.
The bride's father pours water from a conch over the joined hands of the bride and groom. The conch is used because it is known to keep water unpolluted. This denotes the father's hope that the couple's love for each other never sours.
As per the Muslim customs, on the day of the Nikaah, the elder members of the two families decide the amount of Mehar (nuptial gift) to be given by the groom's family to the bride. This is her right and in case of divorce she can demand the same.
Parsis perform the Madhavsaro ceremony where the families of both the bride and the groom plant a young tree in a pot amidst recitation of prayers by the family priest. This is then placed at the entrance of their homes. This is generally a mango plant and is treated as a symbol of fertility.
As part of the Telegu customs, a mixture of cumin and jaggery is applied on the couple's hands. The bride and groom are thus supposed to become inseparable through life's bitter and sweet times.
Catholic brides wear "something old and something new, something borrowed and something blue" as part of their wedding attire for good luck.
As per the Muslim tradition, the groom's mother holds the Quran above the head of her new daughter-in-law as she enters her new home for the first time after the wedding. This is to beseech Lord that he always protects the couple and that they follow the religious path in all their actions.
