Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Traditional Hindu wedding ceremonies can last for days and involve much ritual in
Sanskrit which may be understood only by the priest conducting the service. This
ceremony is considerably shorter and is intended to be understandable even to a non-
Indian audience, making it suitable for intercultural or mixed Hindu/non-Hindu
marriages. The couple for whom it was originally written based it on the Gujarati
Brahmin traditions of the bride's family with a few touches from Unitarian and secular
wedding services familiar to the groom's family. It includes three spots to insert optional
readings and musical performances of your choosing.
The priest in this ceremony need not be formally trained as a Hindu priest. He or she
should be familiar with Hindu weddings and comfortable acting as a master of
ceremonies, guiding the participants through their parts and explaining the meaning of
the service to the audience. It's okay if the priest keeps the script in hand during the
ceremony.
Script
6. Bride and groom are seated facing one another under the mandap. Chorus sings
the slokas:
o Invocation to Lord Ganesha: Vignesh varaia varadaia sukhapriyaya...
o Invocation to Saraswati: Yakundendutusharahara dhawala...
o Prayer for harmony: Om sahana vavatu...
7. Bride garlands groom. Groom garlands bride.
8. Reading #1.
9. Bride's parents wash bride's and groom's hands and feet, apply kumkum and give
flowers. (Bride's mother does this to bride, bride's father to groom.)
10. Bride's parents address audience:
Bride says:
A circle is the symbol of the sun and the earth and the universe. It is a symbol of
holiness and of perfection and of peace. In these rings it is the symbol of unity, in
which your lives are now joined in one unbroken circle, in which, wherever you
go, you will always return to one another and to your togetherness.
13. Priest puts varamala (sacred rope) around bride's and groom's necks. They're now
married!
14. The couple, who had been sitting facing one another, now sit down side by side.
Bride's father puts bride's hand in groom's.
15. Song or musical performance. (Traditionally this is the time to sing a
mangalashtak, a poem composed specially for the occasion.)
16. Bride cups her hands and places them in groom's cupped hands. Bride's brother
puts rice in bride's hands. Together bride and groom pour the mixture into the fire.
17. Bride and groom walk around the fire four times, alternating in who leads. Priest
says:
Om Svaha! With the first turn, we pray for happiness in the union of the couple.
Om Svaha! With the second turn, we pray for the long life of the couple.
Om Svaha! With the third turn, we pray for the healthy life of the couple.
Om Svaha! With the fourth turn, we pray for the happiness and health of the
couple.
18. The bride and groom sit down. (Here's a fun part: whoever sits down first will be
the boss in the marriage!) Groom presents a gift to the bride's brother.
19. Priest says:
Now is the time to confirm the marriage with the seven final steps.
Bride and groom rise and prepare to take seven steps. Priest continues:
I ask you, (bride) and (groom), to concentrate upon these seven vows as you take
the seven steps:
...as bride and groom bow to all their seniors in both parties in rough order
according to age (eldest first).