Indian weddings are popular for their grandeur and pomp and show The pre-wedding rituals and customs go on for a week before the main marriage rituals .Pre-wedding rituals are of great significance as they are said to be auspicious and propitious for the forth coming wedding ceremony.

 All the Indian marriages have extensive pre-wedding rituals and have elaborate and intricate nature and last for almost four or five days.The pre-wedding rituals consist of some religious and some amusing and entertaining rituals.

The pre-wedding rituals begin days before the wedding with Roka or formal commitment of both the families towards marriage.this is done with the blessing of both side parents  It is followed by Sagaai or sagan (engagement), Haldi, Mehndi, Sangeet and several such customs .

Engagement Ceremony
Marriage is regarded as the most important social as well as religious event in Indian culture.During engagement ceremony the would be bride and groom both exchange rings in the prence of their entire family and relatives
Mehendi Celebration
The occasion of Mehendi is one of the most important pre-wedding rituals. It is fun filled ritual in which celebrations mainly  take place in the the bride's house with family members and friends .in this, friends and close relation decorate their own and brids hands and feet with pretty design of mehandi by appointing a specialist in the art of putting mehandi .wedding songs are sung by the relatives over the beat of dholak .
Sangeet Party is also held at both bride's and groom's place in this funtion only ladies are invited ,men are not allowed to this function , To make sangeet somewhat light and amusing fun oriented songs are sung .


Punjabi Wedding is an interesting ceremony full of many rituals and customs. The preparations for wedding begins a day before the wedding day.Indian weddings are very vibrant and colorful and are full of pomp and show . At bride's house The wedding ceremony starts from the Chuda(IVORY BANGLES ) ceremony and at the groom’s place with Vatna(haldi and mustarted oil paste ) ceremony.

Chuda ceremony at the Bride’s home-


On the Day OF THE WEDDING the rituals at the girl's house starts in the morning with the Chuda ceremony. To perform  this ceremony, puja is conducted by the pandit. After which The maternal uncle and aunt(mama and mami) play an important role in the performance of the ceremony. They fast till the event is completed. Chuda is basically a set of red and cream ivory bangles , People touch the chuda and give their heartiest wishes to the would be bride for her future married life After that, the girl’s uncle, aunt, friends and cousins tie kaliras (silver,or gold plated traditional ornaments) to a bangle worn by the girl.wedding songs are sung and special food is made that is whole moong dal(green lentils) and rice for every one to eat.it is regarded auspious.

VATNA (A TURMERIC AND MUSTARD OIL PASTE )TO BEAUTIFY THE COUPLE AT THERE OWN REDIDENCES
Four oil diyas are lit and the would be bride is made to sit facing the oil lamps. Mustard Oil is constantly poured into the lamps, so that the glow from the flame of the diyas is reflected on the face of the bride and groom respectively. Vatna is the paste made from turmeric powder and mustard oil all over the girl’s as well as the groom's body by her friends and relatives. This is done to make the the couple look more beautiful on the special day of their life.

Ghara Ghardoli(Urn filled with water to make the bride as well as the groom bathe with the holy water)
The Ghara Ghardoli follows soon after the Vatna ceremony. In the this ritual, the bride’s sibling  visits the nearby temple and fills the pitcher with holy water from the well at the temple premesis . The girl and boy is then bathed with this holy water at there respective houses. Thereafter, the bride  and the groom are dressed in their wedding attire.

Sehrabandi (an occation when the groom is made to tie the sehra on his head over the turban)
Soon after, the Vatna and Ghara Ghardoli  dressing up of groom in his wedding attire is done. After the groom has dressed a pooja  or a ritual is performed after which the groom’s father or any elderly male ties the "sehra" on the groom’s head. A pink color turban is tied before putting the sehra,After  Sehrabandi ,The reletives put garlands made of notes some give gifts and cash as a token of good luck.with a lots of blessing marriage songs are sung by the females when the whole ceremony is being performed.

FINALLY THE BRIDE GROOM PROCCEED TO GET ON THE HORSE WHICH IS VERY BEATUTIFULLY DECORATED THIS CEREMONY IS CALLED GHODI CHADNA
The Ghori Chadna is the final stage of the ceremony at the groom’s place. The groom’s sister-in-law puts surma (black kajal).After which, the groom’s sisters feed mare and tie pretty ribbions to decorate the mare this is called vaag pakarna . To ward off the evil spells, people use cash and perform the Varna ritual in which money is turned around the head of the groom and distributed among the poor . After this the boy mounts the horse and leaves for the house or venue where the bride is wating for the groom the procession goes with lots of dancing and music from the bands

Rituals at the Marriage Venue where the bride is ready to put varmala to the groom

Milni Ceremony(embracing ceremony of the both side's relatives)
When the groom’s barat procession reaches the wedding venue, Milni ceremony is performed before the groom steps down from the horse. In this the bride’s close relatives give a warm welcome to the groom and his relatives with flower garlands. Rose water is sprinkled on everyone In the this ceremony, the girl's relatives give Shagun (a token of gift) to the groom's very close relatives. then the groom is made to step down from the horse this ceremony is performed by maternal uncle (mama)and bride's brothers.Now the groom is led to the venue door and made to hit the channi (seive) with the sword he is carring .oil is driped on the both side of the gate after which the groom and his reletives enter the hall .

Varmala rituals involves the exchange of garlands between the bride and groom after the groom enters the venue of the marriage . Relatives and close friends of the bride and groom tease and have a lot of fun,they do not let the bride or the groom to perform this ceremony and lifts them and then finally this ceremony is completed with fun and laughter An auspicious time or wedding muhurat is chosen to perform the wedding ceremony.The pundit conducts a puja with the groom first and made to perform certain rituals , This is when the bride’s sisters steal the shoes of the groom. It is a ful of fun tradition, in which the girls forces the groom or his father to give a sum of rupees to return the shoes back .

Kanyadaan and Phere is the final stage of marriage
The wedding solemnized with 4 important rituals- the Kanyadaan, in which the bride’s father gives his daughter's hand to the groom,then the Mangalpheras in front of the sacred fire,are taken in which first the goom walks ahead of the bride and then the bride follows , the Sindoor ritual when the groom puts sindoor to the girl’s head and the Mangalsutra Ritual takes place when the groom ties a black beaded necklace around the girl’s neck. after all these rituals are over, the couple takes blessing from all the elders.

Vidaai Ceremony(to give leave to the girl to go to the bridegrooms place with him )
Relatives and friends flock together to bless the couple before the go to the boy's house a week in advance of the wedding day. Singing traditional songs, dancing to the tunes of traditional music numbers,and then the girl leaves the house the women sings vidai songs and the atmospher becomes heavy ,the gir throw puffed rice before leaving the house of the parents and finally they leave for the goom's home ..