Detailed drawings of An Indian Wedding with all it's rituals and ceremonies were created as a part of an illustration project. Indian wedding is a perfect blend of serious customs along with other fun filled rituals and frothy moments. The vivaah or shaadi gives you immense joy of gathering and togetherness. An illustrated book was created consisting of every illustrated ceremoney of a traditonal Indian wedding with a little explanation about each of them.
Match-making: Kundali, an astrological chart is drawn based on the placement of stars and planets at the time of birth. If the astrological chart of the two individuals achieve the required threshold of matchmaking, then further talks are considered for prospective marriage.
Haldi: Ubtan, a paste of turmeric, gram flour, sandalwood, mustard seeds etc. is applied to the boy and girl's body by their friends and relatives. This ubtan is meant to bring a lust in the skin and thus, preparing them for the memorable day of their life. The bride and the groom are barred from seeing each other after this ceremony till the marriage day.
Mehendi: The Mehendi or henna motif is not only the adoration of the bride rather it epitomizes her transformation from a virgin girl to a temptress for her husband. The bride must not step out of the house after the mehendi ritual until the wedding day as it is believed that the darker and deeper the henna stains the more the husband and the in-laws will love her bride. So it is regarded good omen for the would-be bride.
Solaah Sringar: Female friends and relatives gather together to make her look the best and epitomize beauty on the most special occasion of her life. The beautification of the bride consists of sixteen parts and covers almost every part of the body, right from the head to the toe.
Baraat: One of the important and fun ceremonies is the arrival of the groom on the wedding day, at the venue. The groom, dressed in his wedding attire, sits on a white decorated mare, accompanied by his younger brother, cousin or nephew who acts as his caregiver, who is called sarbaala. He is adorned with a saafa; a turban, preferably pink or saffron colored along with a sehara; floral veil, which is tied around his forehead, by his mother. Saafa is mandatory, but tying sehara is not a compulsion. The baraatis are his relatives and friends who dance to the tune played by the band which provides them with entertainment, while on their way to the venue. A vivid display of fireworks contributes to the festive spirit of the procession.
Milni: As the baraat reaches at the entrance of the wedding venue, they are welcomed by the bride's family, followed by the groom's 'Aarti' and applying 'Tilak' by the bride's mother.
Varnmala: The bride and the groom exchange their varmala or jaimala; the flower garlands, as a mutual acceptance towards each other. The male members of the groom and the bride lift them and the two groups try to dissuade each other to bring in the element of fun and a chuckle and smile.
Kanyadaan: Kanyadaan is a ritual in which the bride's father entrusts her daughter to the groom, who is at the time of marriage considered to be a form of Lord Vishnu. As a condition for offering his daughter to the groom for marriage, he asks a promise from the groom for assisting the bride in achieving three important goals of the life- dharma, artha, and karma This is done by tying the hands of the bride and groom together in a marital knot known as the 'hast melap'.
Saptapadi or saat phere: The Priest lights the sacred fire amidst Vedic chants. Saptapadi or saat phere is an important rite of a Hindu marriage ceremony. In the seven steps, the bride and groom circumambulate a consecrated fire seven times, reciting specific vows with each circuit. Vows made in the presence of the sacred fire are considered unbreakable, with Agnideva, Lord of Fire held as both witnessing and blessing the couple's union.
Sindoor dana: The Groom puts sindoor, red or vermillion powder in the brides hair, illustrating her dedication to him for his longer life. Red signifies power while vermilion is a symbol of the female energy of mythological legends, Parvati and Sati.
Hiding the shoes: The bride's sisters, on finding suitable moment, grab the groom's shoes which he is directed to remove prior to entering the mandap and hide them. In this sweet prank, after much argument in a good sense, the sisters
are presented money in return of the shoes.
Bidaai: The ritual of bidaai is one of the most emotional aspect of the wedding festivities. The bride seeks leave from her parents with tears of joy and sorrow. As she steps out of the house, she throws back five handfuls of rice over her head, in a way that it falls on the person standing behind her, as a symbol of prosperity and wealth. It signifies that she is paying back or returning, whatever her parents have given her in all these years and wishes for prosperity to always flourish in the house she is leaving behind.
Grih Pravesh: In this ceremony, the bride receives a warm welcome by her in-laws. Her mother-in-law asks her to kick down a kalash full of rice with her right foot and then enter the home. This ritual is performed because the newly wed bride is considered as a form of Goddess Lakshmi.
Grih Pravesh: She puts her right foot onto a tray of vermilion powder mixed in water or milk, it is the arrival of good fortune and purity and she is ask not to look back which symbolize the arrival of fertility and wealth in her marital home.
Games: Certain games like finding the ring are played between the bride and the groom and other family members. In this game, a ring is left in mixture of milk and rose petals and the couple is made to find it. They say that whoever finds the ring first will be leading her spouse entire life.
