The epicentre of any Sikh wedding is the bride. It is around her that the world of Indian wedding tradition for bride revolves, and although there are umpteen number of bride wedding traditions across the world, and Sikh weddings in US, Canada, UK and India follow them, here is a curated list of ten Punjabi wedding traditions for the bride which we feel are a must-have:
The Punjabi weddings traditions for the bride
You may be settled in the US, Canada or in India, some Indian wedding traditions for the bride are essential and cannot be missed out on at Sikh weddings. Once the roka, or the unofficial acceptance of the ‘rishta’ is done, planning for the Indian wedding traditions begins. The bride’s side swings into action as the list of bride wedding traditions, chores, responsibilities outweighs that of the groom’s side.
Shagun Ceremony
Every wedding commences with this Indian wedding tradition for the bride - the Shagun ceremony. The bride’s family welcomes the groom’s family to their home or chosen venue, and as part of the bride wedding tradition, the groom’s family showers the bride to be with gifts, jewellery, cash, sweets, etc. A beautiful red dupatta is also placed on the bride’s head as a blessing and acceptance, welcoming her into the new family. To check out the shagun ceremony products, visit Pataaree. Usually, in Hindu bride traditions, the kurmai/ sagai or engagement too is conducted with Shagun ceremony.
Haldi/Maiyan Ceremony
One of the most important Indian wedding traditions for the bride is the Haldi/Maiyan ceremony. Also called vatna, the Haldi ceremony takes place a day or two before the wedding. A paste of turmeric, water and almond/mustard oil is applied on the bride’s hands and feet to ward off evil and accentuate the ‘bridal glow’. During the ceremony, four sisters or women relatives of the family hold the haldi chadar over the bride. Haldi is a symbol of purity, blessing, good luck and prosperity, and the Haldi/Maiyan ceremony is therefore celebrated as a big event in hindu bride wedding tradition. As part of the bride wedding traditions, before the haldi, the Punjabi/Sikh households pick a clean or new wok (kadai), tie a gaana (sacred red thread) to it, and make sweet fluffy doughnuts called gogale from atta and gur which the bride is given to distribute. Warhiyan (lentil dumplings) are also made in weddings as a ceremony. Some advice: wear old clothes and get your mehendi done after the haldi ceremony. And this goes for all the brides in Canada, US and India! So keep your Haldi ceremony items from Pataaree including the haldi chadar, haldi plate and haldi thali with covers, bowls and oil bottle to the peedi and fatti ready!
Mehendi, Sangeet, Jaago
Post the Haldi, the next happening bride wedding traditions are the trio of mehendi, sangeet and jaago. In weddings, the bride is gifted a Suhag Pataaree that comes from the in-law’s side before the mehendi, and in it is packed make-up, jewellery, mehendi, clothes, things for her. This mehendi, as a bride tradition, is used for her mehendi ceremony. Mehendi favors for relatives and friends are gifted, and you can pick adorable keepsakes and bundles at Pataaree. Amplify the sangeet with jaago, the wake up call when women, especially the elderly ones go all out, singing, dancing, beating their sticks and chhajja, waking up everyone, announcing the upcoming marriage across the neighbourhood, even if it’s in the UK, US or Canada! Don’t miss this as you pick your jaago set of brass matka, chhajj, sticks and pakhi!
Choora/Kalire Ceremony
A day before the wedding, the maternal uncle comes bearing gifts and the traditional bridal bangle set in red and ivory called the choora. The chura is also clubbed with the nanki shakh, where the maternal side of the bride gives gifts and cash to the bride and her family. The chooda is purified in kachcha doodh (milk), and then put on the bride. Sisters then tie the traditional kalire on the bride’s kadas (steel bangles). As a bride wedding tradition, the bride shakes these kalire on top of the unmarried girls, and if it falls on any one of them, she is considered next in line to marry! To ward off evil, the bridal chura is covered with a white cloth. But you can pick beautiful handmade chooda covers too, from Pataaree along with chooda-kalira boxes.
Gharoli Chadana & Gaana Ceremony
Before the wedding, there a Indian bride traditions reand their families observe. On the morning of the wedding, the sister-in-law of the bride fills an earthen pot from the nearby temple/Gurudwara and cleanses the bride with it, washing off the haldi. This is called Gharoli Chadana. Next, once the bride is ready for her wedding, the Sikh wedding ceremony in line is to tie a gaana on her wrist to ward off evil, and bless her.
Welcome Ceremony
Once the baraat reaches the Gurudwara for the wedding, the bride’s side waits eagerly to welcome them with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The fun part is that the groom is allowed access only if he hands over a generous amount of cash to the bride’s sisters and cousins. Here, the bride’s sisters also earn a ring or kaleechari from the groom’s side as tokens of love.
The Bridal Entry
Ah, the walk down the aisle! The bride is accompanied by four brothers holding the four posts of the bridal chadar over her, as she walks down the aisle towards the groom. This is a wedding tradition for the bride where the bridal chadar is symbolic of the love and protection the bride has grown up with, and Pataaree has an exclusive collection of handcrafted bridal chadars. Alternatively, some brides also opt to carry wedding umbrella.
Kanyadaan
In weddings, in an emotional and sentimental gesture, before the Anand Karaj or phere, the father of the bride ties the bride’s palla (corner of the dupatta) to the groom’s palla in a knot. This ceremony is kanyadaan, where he hands over his joy and pride, his daughter, to the groom, asking him to treat her with love, respect and care.
Joota Chhuppai
While the wedding ceremony is taking place, the bride’s sisters/cousins quietly steal the groom’s shoes. It’s an age-old bride tradition and Indian wedding tradition, a game where the groom cannot leave without his shoes, and has to pay to get them back! So play on!
Pani Bharna, Mooh Dikhai & Pag Phera
Carrying on with the Indian wedding traditions for the bride, post the wedding and vidaai, upon reaching her new home, the newly-weds are welcomed by the groom’s mother who does a varna or an aarti with a pitcher of water. Now, with each varna or circle, the bride’s mother-in-law attempts to take a sip of water, which the bride has to prevent her from doing until the seventh attempt. The bride then overturns a pot of rice or kalash, with her right foot and enters the house. This is followed by the Mooh Dikhai ceremony where everyone in the family and neighbourhood comes to meet and greet the new bride and give her gifts and blessings. Finally, the next day, the bride does a pag phera ceremony. In Indian wedding tradition and weddings, the bride visits her home after the wedding, where she is welcomed with gifts and blessings.
