India is the motherland of people belonging to varied religions, castes and communities. In fact, they even speak different languages and belong to different cultures. It is thus, regarded as one of the live examples of unity in diversity. This diversity is even visible in the customs and traditions of the people. To cite an example, Indian weddings are celebrated with the same fervor everywhere, though their way of conduct is different. Regional marriage ceremonies vary in accordance with factors like religion, region and faith.
However, they do have the same expression and significance. It's after all the union of the two souls, which is blessed by the Lord as well as the elders of the family and society. Moreover, the ancient wedding rituals are still practiced today and the institution of marriage is considered one of the most sanctimonious bonds between two people on earth. To know about the regional Indian wedding ceremonies in detail, read on.
An Assamese marriage is the wedding ceremony which takes place in the state of Assam or between Assamese people. In Assamese language, the ceremony is known as Biya. Just like a Hindu wedding, an Assamese wedding also has pre wedding and post wedding rituals.
Bengali marriage ceremony takes place in the state of Bengal or between Bengali people. The wedding ceremonies in Bengal are quite long and elaborate. There are a number of rituals and ceremonies that take place during the wedding.
Buddhist marriage is very simple and does not involve any complex ritual. The most pleasant thing about the Buddhist weddings is that they are based more on faith and less on religion. A typical wedding takes place in two parts, one is Buddhist component and the other is non-Buddhist component.
In Christianity, marriages are considered the union between man and woman predestined by God. The sanctity of the institution can be made clear from Jesus' message, which lays down that wedding is a relationship, a union so real and intimate that 'the two become one flesh'.
Gujaratis or the people of Gujarat are known for their rich, vibrant and colorful culture. Moreover, they are warm and cheerful, who are fond of celebrating festivals with fervor. This is quite evident in a Gujarati marriage as well. The wedding rituals in Gujarat are simple and filled with fun.
Hindu marriages are the most lavish and extensive. They extend over a period of four to five days. They are highly traditional and strongly adhere to the ancient customs and traditions. Moreover, wedding is considered an important religious practice in Hindu religion. It is held as one of sacred sixteen sanskaras or sacraments.
Like all other religions, Jains also celebrate their marriages with great enthusiasm. They also have a number of rituals before and after marriage, which are performed with utmost simplicity and sanctity. Though in Jain religion, marriage is considered a worldly affair, it is still highly advocated. In Jain wedding ceremony, a grand
Jewish weddings are conducted in a very traditional manner. It is much more than just exchanging rings as it reminds them that they are responsible for each other as well as the religion and culture. The wedding ceremony is known as 'kiddushin'
Kannada marriages are the weddings conducted in the state of Karnataka. In performance, Kannada marriage resembles the traditional Hindu marriage. However, the customs and traditions observed do differ according to the region they are practiced in.
Kashmiri marriage, as the name suggests is the wedding ceremony celebrated in the valley of Kashmir. Just like the beautiful environs and the innocent natives of the place, Kashmiri wedding ceremonies are also quite simple and conducted in accordance with their own customs and rituals.
Maharashtrian marriage is perhaps the simplest and the least opulent in the whole country. Unlike other weddings, most of the rituals are preformed early in the morning. The Maharashtrian marriage procedure starts with finding a suitable counterpart.
Marwari marriage is celebrated with gaiety. It is an elaborate affair and extends over a period of days. Marwari wedding strictly adhere to the ancient customs and traditions. There are a number of pre wedding, wedding and post wedding rituals, which are observed.
Muslim marriage is known as 'Nikah' in Urdu. It is given great importance in the religion of Islam and is even mandatory for all. Though the wedding rituals of Muslim marriage vary greatly from the Hindu religion, it significantly lays emphasis on the union of two souls.
Oriya marriage is associated with the state of Orissa. The wedding ceremony and rituals bears resemblance with the Hindu marriage ceremony but are certainly different in many aspects. Oriya people are not very showy and believe in simple living.
Parsi marriage is known as 'Lagan' and is conducted with great zeal and fervor. The customs and traditions observed in the Parsi marriage are quite different from the traditional Hindu marriage. This makes them a lot more fun and interesting.
Punjabi marriages are known for their pomp and show. Just like the opulent culture of Punjab, Punjabi weddings are quite fun. They are conducted lavishly and celebrated with extreme gaiety. It is difficult to resist the fervor of these weddings as they comprise of traditional folk dances such as Bhangras and Giddas.
Sikh marriages are also quite elaborate and extend over a time period of one week. However, they are not as pompous and showy as Hindu weddings. Sikh marriage is very simple and adheres to the religious practices.
Sindhi people are basically Sanatani Hindus, who do not follow Hindu rites strictly. However, Sindhi marriage is conducted in accordance with the Vedic rites. Sindhi weddings reflect a blend of Hinduism and Sufism.
Tamil marriages are not very showy and extravagant as Tamilians believe in simple living. Tamil people are very particular about their customs and traditions. However, Tamil weddings are attended by distant relatives and friends and hence are held on a large scale.
Telugu marriage is accomplished strictly in accordance with the age old customs and traditions. For this reason, it even bears resemblance with Hindu and Tamil weddings. One of the special features of Telugu culture is that the bride or wife is given utmost importance in the society.
