If you have been a part of a Sikh wedding, you would notice that it always depicts rich colors and looks grand, irrespective of the scale in which it is celebrated. There’s just something about the Sardar which simply comes alive in this wedding and its related events, which is perfectly complemented by the bridegroom. A union such does not just celebrate the coming together of two souls, but two families as well. The Sikh wedding is referred to as Anand Karaj and is held in the Gurudwara, with the Guru Granth Sahib or the Sikh holy book being present.
The Sikh wedding ceremony is undertaken with the aim of getting married to unite one’s soul with God, and the entire ceremony is centered on this aim. The initial part of the wedding takes place in the Gurudwara, where you will see the pre-wedding rituals mentioned below:
- Kurmai
– It is the name given tothe
Sikh engagement ceremony. Rituals begin when both families read verses from the
Guru Granth Sahib together, following which the marriage date is fixed. - The
Chunni Chadai ceremony- The bridegroom’s family goes to the
bride’s house, where his mother uses a “chunni” to cover her head - Mehendi
Chooda ceremony-
Here the bride’s hands and feet are decorated with the help of gorgeous mehndi
designs. She gets red and white bangles dipped in milk from her maternal uncle.
‘Kalires’ or golden ornaments are then tied to the bangles. - Maiyan
ceremony– A colorful rangoli is prepared by the
cousins of the bride or groom at the start. During this ceremony, turmeric is
applied to the hands and body parts of the bride and the groom. Both have
different ceremonies at their respective ends. Jovial folk songs are sung by
ladies of the house during this time. After this ceremony, as the bride and
groom go for showers to wash off turmeric, their mothers smear the rangoli with
their hands, add water to it and make 3-4 imprints on their house’s walls. - Gana-
In this ritual, sacredred
threads are tied to the hands of bride and bridegroom, with a belief that they
shall be protected from bad omen - Gharoli-
Holy water from the Gurudwara is brought in earthen pots by both
two sisters-in-law for the bride and bridegroom to bathe. There may be a lot of
drama when the pot reaches its destination, with the sisters-in-law dancing to
traditional music beats.
Elegance, beauty, and charm need to be part of any wedding for it to be a memorable event. This is true of weddings in every part of the world. Those looking to have fun with have a gala time at Sikh weddings. Guests and family members just need to be alert about opportunities to enjoy.
Wedding attires
There are two parts to answering what is worn during Sikh weddings:
1. What the bride and bridegroom wear
The primary aim of both the bride and the groom is too look the grandest and the classiest in the marriage hall, and this is often done by wearing outfits that look good in photographs clicked by wedding photographers. Many outfits are mixed and matched with accessories to find the perfect combinations. You will see the Sikh bride wearing an expensive red wedding salwar kameez or a red lehenga. One would need to sit on the ground, so the clothes have to be chosen accordingly. Here, red is chosen as a color to depict auspiciousness and prosperity in the bride’s future life.
A Sikh groom usually adorns himself in a beautifully stitched kurta, over which you will find him wearing an Achkan or an overcoat. The traditional Achkan has given way to the more glorious Sherwani in today’s times.
2. What the guests wear
Most men would be wearing Western suits in various dark colors such as blue, grey, brown, and more. Only a few would be seen sporting lighter shades. Women like to wear a of bright colors, and you would see them wearing traditional Punjabi outfits in bright shades of orange, blue, pink, green, and even multiple shades.
Women would need to stick to modest dresses at the Sikh wedding. Plunging necklines, short skirts, and bare shoulders must not be worn. However, this is just the case with the wedding; modern dresses can be worn at the Reception, which is a couple of days after the wedding. Women also find it convenient to wear shawls and pants to the Gurudwara, and then modify the dress to reveal a skirt for the Reception. This allows them to wear the same outfit for two occasions.
For all sentimental purposes, black and pure qhite dresses must be avoided. Black is regarded as inauspicious in Sikhism as well as other religions. Also, it is a good idea to stay away from traditional reds as they are reserved from the bride and the bridegroom.