1. Pre-Wedding Rituals:

• Engagement (Roka or Tilak): This marks the formal announcement of the couple’s intention to marry. Both families exchange gifts, and the couple is blessed by elders.
• Mehendi Ceremony: The bride’s hands and feet are adorned with intricate henna designs. This is a joyful event that often involves singing, dancing, and celebrating with close friends and family.
• Sangeet: A night of music, dance, and merriment. Both families come together for this lively event, where they perform traditional dances and songs.

2. Wedding Day Rituals:

• Baraat: The groom, accompanied by his family and friends, arrives at the wedding venue in a procession, often on a horse or a decorated vehicle, with music and dancing.
• Mandap: A sacred altar set up for the wedding rituals. The bride and groom sit under a canopy, and various ceremonies take place here.
• Varmala/Jaimala: The bride and groom exchange floral garlands, symbolizing their acceptance of each other as partners for life.
• Kanyadaan: The bride’s parents give her away to the groom, often with a symbolic gesture of placing her hand in the groom’s hand.
• Saat Phere (Seven Circles): The couple takes seven rounds around the sacred fire (Agni), with each round representing a vow or promise for their married life.
• Sindoor & Mangalsutra: The groom applies sindoor (vermilion) to the bride’s forehead and ties a mangalsutra (sacred necklace) around her neck, symbolizing her new status as a married woman.

3. Post-Wedding Rituals:

• Vidaai: The bride bids farewell to her family, symbolizing her departure from her parental home to begin a new life with her husband.
• Griha Pravesh: The bride is welcomed into the groom’s home. She is traditionally asked to step into the house with her right foot first and may knock over a container of rice as a symbol of prosperity.