In Hinduism, marriage extends beyond the promise of "until death do us part" in many aspects.
For one, it is considered a basic duty of all human beings, and if a person never gets married, he or she is considered incomplete.
Further, marriage is considered a family affair involving even some distant relatives and in laws.
It is considered honorable to have an arranged marriage and let the family choose the spouse, but even if the bride and groom pursue each other, they still need to seek their families' approval before making anything final.
In other matters, beyond the fact that marriage is a basic duty and should be blessed by the family, Hinduism is very specific in regards to a number of other aspects regarding a marriage.
Husband's Family After the marriage, the bride and groom typically move in with the husband's family.
Because of this, she is expected to conform to their way of life and beliefs, no matter how different they are from the ones she was accustomed to growing up.
Though a husband may be more open-minded about his wife's beliefs, parents still look for very similar beliefs in a spouse for their children to avoid major problems or arguments.
Dowry Although the giving of gifts from the bride's family to the groom's is technically banned by the law, the practice still persists in even the most developed areas of society.
Wedding Ceremony Rituals Most of the rituals of a Hindu wedding date back 4,000 or more years, to the ancient Vedic times when many of the scriptures were written.
Though these rituals and beliefs are very old, certain motifs and themes have been unchanged for thousands of years, despite superficial changes in fashion and decor.
However, with all the beautiful ceremonies, flowers, and traditional fires, the wedding is truly a spectacle, no matter if it's the first Hindu marriage you've attended or your 30th.
For one, it is considered a basic duty of all human beings, and if a person never gets married, he or she is considered incomplete.
Further, marriage is considered a family affair involving even some distant relatives and in laws.
It is considered honorable to have an arranged marriage and let the family choose the spouse, but even if the bride and groom pursue each other, they still need to seek their families' approval before making anything final.
In other matters, beyond the fact that marriage is a basic duty and should be blessed by the family, Hinduism is very specific in regards to a number of other aspects regarding a marriage.
Husband's Family After the marriage, the bride and groom typically move in with the husband's family.
Because of this, she is expected to conform to their way of life and beliefs, no matter how different they are from the ones she was accustomed to growing up.
Though a husband may be more open-minded about his wife's beliefs, parents still look for very similar beliefs in a spouse for their children to avoid major problems or arguments.
Dowry Although the giving of gifts from the bride's family to the groom's is technically banned by the law, the practice still persists in even the most developed areas of society.
Wedding Ceremony Rituals Most of the rituals of a Hindu wedding date back 4,000 or more years, to the ancient Vedic times when many of the scriptures were written.
Though these rituals and beliefs are very old, certain motifs and themes have been unchanged for thousands of years, despite superficial changes in fashion and decor.
- Var Agaman: At the beginning of the wedding ceremony, the groom arrives at the bride's house where he finds her dressed in red, symbolizing her fertility.
Once he leads her to the site where the wedding will take place, they put garlands on each other, called Jai Mala, showing that they are both willing participants in the marriage. - Ganpati Puja: This involves the worship of Ganesh, the elephant-like god who is considered the remover of obstacles.
Once this happens, the couple worships their favorite god, then participate in the navagrah puja, blessings of the nine different planetary gods. - Kanyadan: Known by different names in other cultures, this part of the wedding ceremony is when the bride's parents give her away to the groom as his life partner.
Immediately after the kanyadan is the granthi bandhan, where the bride and the groom literally tie the knot, symbolizing the union of their souls into eternity.
However, with all the beautiful ceremonies, flowers, and traditional fires, the wedding is truly a spectacle, no matter if it's the first Hindu marriage you've attended or your 30th.