India Wedding Program 03/09
Program of the Day
ॐNandi Om
An auspicious opening ritual invoking divine blessings and the blessings of the ancestors for the couple and the beginning of the wedding ceremonies.
✦Kashi Yatra
As the groom sets out on a symbolic pilgrimage to Kashi, leaving behind worldly pleasures in search of spiritual wisdom, he encounters the bride’s father along his journey. The father invites him to abandon the life of an ascetic and instead embrace the sacred path of marriage, offering him his daughter Monica as his life companion. The groom accepts, returning joyfully to begin his journey as a husband.
❧Swagatam — Welcoming the Groom
The groom is warmly welcomed into the bride’s family. He receives the blessings of the elders and is lovingly offered traditional food and sweets, symbolising that he is no longer a guest, but is welcomed as one of the family.
✦Antarpatam — The First Glimpse
The bride and groom stand facing one another, separated by a sacred white cloth. Hidden from each other’s sight, they await the auspicious moment when the cloth is lifted, revealing one another for the first time as bride and groom.
♡Thaali Ceremony
The groom ties the sacred Thaali around the bride’s neck, marking the central moment of their union.
🔥Agni Puja
The sacred fire, Agni, becomes the divine witness to the vows and promises of the couple.
❀Maalai Maatral
The bride and groom exchange beautiful flower garlands, symbolising their acceptance of one another.
✦Saptapadi
The couple takes seven sacred turns together, representing seven promises for their life as husband and wife.Each turn around the sacred fire symbolize a commitment : 1. Food and subsistence 🍚 Promise to take care of the material needs of the home. 2. Strength and health 💪 Support each other and preserve their physical and moral strength. 3. Prosperity 🪷 Building a stable and prosperous life together. 4. Happiness and harmony ❤️ Cultivate love, trust and joy in the couple. 5. Family and descendants 👨👩👧 Promise to take care of the family and, traditionally, the children. 6. Longevity and fidelity 🌿 Staying united in the trials and the different stages of life. 7. Friendship and eternal union 🔥 Become life companions, linked by lasting friendship and loyalty.
❋Talambralu
A joyful tradition in which the bride and groom shower one another with rice mixed with turmeric.
❧Aashirvadam — Blessings from the Elders
The newlyweds bow before their parents and elders, touching their feet as a gesture of respect and receiving their blessings for a happy and prosperous married life. The couple is then lovingly offered traditional food and sweets, symbolising the care and blessings of their families.
♡Celebration & Feast
The sacred ceremony comes to an end and the celebration continues with family, friends, music and a traditional feast.