The customs that Sikhs follow during their wedding ceremonies are more or less similar to those practiced by Hindus.
Pre-wedding rituals
Like all other weddings, shopping is an integral part of a Sikh marriage. Sikhs start their wedding shopping by purchasing the Rumalla Sahib, a set of four pieces of cloth that are beautifully embroidered and used to drape the Granth Sahib. At a Sikh wedding, the bride’s maternal grandparents and uncles spend heavily on clothing and jewelry. They also organize a meal during wedding ceremonies.
Kurmai Gold Pledge:
The commitment ceremony or kurmai is usually a family affair. The bride’s family visits the groom’s house with gifts including sweets, clothing, and jewelry. The father of the bride gives the groom a gold ring, a gold kara (bracelet) and a gold mohre (coin). Subsequently, these coins are strung on a black thread and placed on the bridle. She wears it around her neck and it is similar to the mangalsutra worn by Hindu women. But among the Sikhs, the brides wear this thread only on special occasions.
Chunni ceremony or the bridal veil:
After the engagement, it is time for the groom’s family to visit the bride’s house. For this ceremony, only close relatives and friends of the bride and groom are invited. The groom’s mother and aunts give the bride a phulkari (traditional Punjab embroidery) chunni. In this ceremony, the mother of the groom applies mehendi or henna to the palms of the bride’s hands. She also give him jewelry and clothes. Until some time ago, Sikh weddings were a protracted affair and after the betrothal or Kurmai, the bride and groom were confined to the house until the actual wedding took place. However, the trend has now changed and this lockdown period is only one day. Maiyan (when the bride and groom wear normal clothes to look brighter on the wedding day) marks the beginning of the seclusion among the ladies of the house singing songs to the beat of the dholkis (drums).
Vatna Ceremony:
The vatna ceremony takes place a few days before the wedding. In this ceremony, a paste of turmeric, sandalwood, cream and rose water, called ubatan, is applied to the bride’s body. Under the shade of a bagh (a hand-woven piece of cloth with phulkari embroidery), the bride is cleaned. Bagh is a piece of cotton cloth made by hand with phulkari work. A similar type of ceremony also takes place in the groom’s house.
After that, Mehendi is applied on the hands of the bride and other girls in the family also apply mehendi, followed by singing and dancing.
The wedding day:
A Sikh wedding usually takes place before noon.
On the wedding day, the groom’s sister-in-law (bhabhi) and other female relatives go to a gurduwara and fill a gharoli (clay pitcher) with water. The groom uses this water to bathe. A similar ritual is also performed at the bride’s house. After bathing, he is made to wear the chura consisting of 21 red and white bracelets. Then she adorns her bridal attire, which is a heavily embroidered salwar-kameez or lehenga-chunni.
Meanwhile, the groom’s side prepares to leave for his bride’s house or wherever the marriage ceremony is to take place. He usually wears brocade ashtray (long coat) or suit. When everyone is ready to leave, the groom’s sister-in-law (bhabhi) applies surma (kohl) on her eyes and the groom gives her money as a token of love.
The baraat arrives at the bride’s house or wedding venue amid singing and dancing. The bride’s relatives welcome the baraat. This small reception is called milni. A raagi (professional bard) recites the sacred verse. Members of both families exchange gifts. After that, he takes the groom inside and this is the time for the bride’s sisters and friends to engage him in a teasing session.
Then the wedding ceremony takes place. The families of the bride and groom gather at the gurudwara. Raagis (professional bards) sing asa di var or the morning hymn. The couple is made to sit facing the Guru Granth Sahib. The priest first recites the various obligations of married life. After that, he sings the marriage hymns from the holy book. During the lawaan, the bride and groom hold one end of the scarf, which is usually pink in color. The bride is led by the groom around the Granth Sahib. After the fourth round, the bride and groom are declared man and wife. All those who are gathered bless the bride and groom and give them gifts and shagun. A large and luxurious party follows the lawaan ceremony.
