MAR W A R I

W E D D I N G

DUM M I E S
FOR

A Reference
for the
Rest of Us !

Author
PRITI & LOKESH
 Bhaat
The mother of the bride/groom invites her brother and his family to her childs wedding.
Generally, all close relatives of the family take part in the ceremony. The bride/groom
mother does tika for her brothers, sister-in-law, sisters, nieces, nephews, and other
members of the family present in the ceremony. During this ceremony, the brothers and
sister eat sabut mung, and rice, which is considered very auspicious.

Tilak
The father of the bride applies the auspicious tilak on the forehead of the groom. This
marks the commencement of the wedding alliance and shows that the brides family has
accepted him as their would-be son-in-law.
 Tel Baan
In this ritual, the groom and bride are prepared for the wedding by all their close
relatives. Pure vegetable oils, fresh milk curds, henna, and turmeric are made into a paste
and applied on the face and arms and feet of the bride/groom by their close family
members. This symbolizes the cleansing and preparation of ones mind, body, and soul
before embarking upon the path of marriage.

Kunwara Manda/Gharwa
The Manda puja, invoking the Godess Parvati, is done by the brides family. After the pujas
completion 11 pandits are given food and alms. Devi Parvati in Rajasthani language is also
known as Gangaur. The Goddess is adorned with clothes & jewelry sent by the grooms
family.
 Korath
When the bride is ready and the auspicious time for the wedding is at hand, the men of the
brides family (her brothers, cousins, uncles) go to the groom and his family to invite them
to the wedding premises. The groom accepts the invitation and prepares to leave for the
wedding venue with his baraat - family and friends.

Nikasi
Before the baraat (the grooms procession) departs, there are certain rituals that need to
be followed. These are collectively called Nikasi. The grooms mare (ghodi) is blessed by the
priest. The groom is fed a mixture of Moong (a type of lentil), rice, sugar, and ghee by his
mother. The grooms family carries a decorated ceremonial umbrella, a sword, garlands, and
paan to the wedding venue as per the Marwari tradition. The groom leads a procession of
his friends and relatives to the venue. The baraatis dance and sing, and are often
accompanied by a musical band in the spirit of celebration.
 Varmala
The Varmala ceremony has its origin from the Vedas where Hindu Gods and Goddesses
performed the same ceremony at the time of their wedding. The couple exchanges garlands
during the Varmala as a gesture of acceptance of one another and a pledge to respect one
another as partners. The bride is supposed to garland the groom first, which shows that
she has accepted him as her husband. Vedic literature talks about Swaymvar, where bride
used to select her husband out of many suitors by putting a garland around his neck.

Pheras
During the Pheras the couple invokes Agni, the god of Fire, to witness their commitment to
each other. The couple makes four Mangal pheras around the fire in a clockwise direction
representing four goals in life: Dharma- religious and moral duties; Artha- prosperity;
Kama- earthly pleasures; Moksha- spiritual salvation and liberation. The bride leads the
Pheras first, signifying her determination to stand first beside her husband in all happiness
and sorrow. With each round, the would-be couple takes a solemn marriage vow which
they are expected to fulfill for the rest of their lives. After this ceremony, the bride and the
groom are considered husband and wife.
 Sirguthi
In earlier times, after the stress of the entire day, the grooms mother and/or sister would
try to help the bride feel and look fresh by combing her hair, washing her face, and applying
fresh makeup. In todays day and age, this ritual is practiced symbolically, in reverence to its
erstwhile relevance.

Pehrwani
During the Pehrwani, brides family members gift their son-in-law a ceremonial coconut
and his shoulder is draped with a shawl- a symbol of respect and love. The pandits (priests)
who have been involved with the wedding rituals are endowed with alms -dakshina.

The woman folk of the brides side then take the groom for the fun-filled shloka kahalai
session wherein he is made to recite poems or dohas. After this, the bride worships the
threshold (dahaleez) of her paternal home and breaks an earthen diya on it. The groom and
the bride are escorted out and they leave for the grooms house.
 Bidai
This is when the bride officially leaves her place of birth, her home, her loved ones and goes on to a
new home & life that awaits her. In a traditional Bidai ceremony, the bride is taken to her home after
the pheras.
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MARWARI WEDDING
FOR DUMMIES
2017

Authors:
Priti & Lokesh

Designed by:
Srijan Pun
Pagoda Labs