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Lagna Vidhi

The Importance and Significance of the ceremonies and rituals performed in an Indian Marriage
 
A Hindu Wedding is not simply an exchange of vows and rings. It includes a number of religious rites before and during the nuptials, which are performed in the presence of family deities. These represent the importance of the bond between a husband and wife. A Hindu marriage or «Vivaha» is incomplete without the blessings of a spiritual or divine element.

Pokavu

The actual wedding day begins with this which is the arrival of the groom. He is greeted by the mother-in-law at the entrance to the wedding hall. A small ceremony is performed and then she tries to pinch the groom's nose. This playfully reminds the groom that he has come to their door to ask for their daughter by rubbing his nose on the door.

 
This only symbolizes the couples' formal acceptance of each other. During this ceremony, the groom is elevated above the bride, so it is much harder for her to reach him This is done to demonstrate that the groom's pride and superiority is greater that that of his brides. Of course, today things are seen in a different light. The second time they garland each other is under the Mandap, or wedding tent. see for Jaimala Designs

Madhuparka

During the Madhuparka, the groom's feet are washed and he is fed honey and milk while sitting under the mandap. During this time, the bride's sisters try and steal the groom's shoes, adding mischief and humor to the ceremony. At the end of the day the groom retrieves his shoes by offering his sister in-laws money.

Kanya Agamana

The bride is carried to the Mandap by her maternal uncle in a ceremony that is known as Kanya Agamana, a tradition that has survived from the early days of child marriages. At this point, the Antarpat, or the curtain separating the bride and groom, is lowered and the couple again exchange garlands.

Varmala

It is now time for the bride to be given away in a ritual known as Kanya Daan or Hasta Milap. The Gujaratis have added the Varmala to this ceremony in which the parents and other relatives of the bride place an auspicious cord around the necks of the couple to protect them from evil influences.

Mangalpheras

During the Mangalpheras, the couple circles the holy fire four times, not seven times as is customary in many other parts of India. The four circles symbolize the four basic human goals of Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. After completing the fourth circle, the bride and groom compete to be the first to sit down. In the past, this tradition was thought to predict who would dominate the marriage, since family elders noticed that these simple traits and gestures could reveal the bride's resourcefulness and intelligence. Today this game carries much less significance since the bride and groom are both aware of the tradition, making it more competitive than insightful.

Sapta Padi

According to Gujarati traditions, the Sapta Padi or more fondly called 'the seven steps' is performed with a unique variation. In most Hindu wedding ceremonies, the bride and groom both face north and walk the seven steps together as they recite the vows. At Gujarati weddings, the groom helps the bride touch seven betel nuts with her right toe, while they recite the seven vows. VOWS

Saubhagyavati

Another quite interesting aspect of the wedding, is the Saubhagyavati, in which several married women from the bride's family get onto the altar to whisper secret blessings into the right ear of the bride. When it is the bride's mother's turn, the groom reaches out and grabs the Pallu of her sari, a tradition called Chero Pakarvo, which began as an excuse for the groom to ask for the ring and gifts that he is entitled to from the brides' family.

Aashirwaad

Once the wedding rituals have been completed, the couple touches the feet of their parents and the priest, asking for their Aashirwaad, or blessings.

Aeki- Beki

After the departure of the bride and groom, which is known as the Vidai, the couple returns to the groom's house to play a game of Aeki- Beki. This game is played by placing a ring and several coins in a tray of water which is colored by sindoor and milk. It is said that the person who finds the ring four out of seven times, will rule the household. 

The day concludes with prayers to God asking for love and happiness for the couple.