The Most Glamorous Punjabi Wedding Traditions And Customs That Will Blow Your Mind

12 Oct 2020

Punjabi wedding ceremonies are loud celebrations full of music and dance where you get that ecstatic adrenaline rush. The people of Punjab celebrate the wedding ceremonies filled with known and unknown traditional rituals along with dance, music, and loads of fun. You can witness the expression of myriad colors on display during Punjabi weddings.

The Punjabi people are warm with their hearts and hence they are too much involved in welcoming the guests and make them happy with some scintillating wedding rituals and delicious Punjabi cuisine.

Now, let’s see what are the most glamorous Punjabi wedding traditions and customs that will blow your mind. Like other Hindu weddings in India, Punjabi weddings too have pre-wedding, wedding, and post-wedding rituals.

Pre-Wedding Rituals

(1) Roka and Thaka

The first ritual in Punjabi weddings, Roka and Thaka, involves visiting the bride’s houses and the groom. Roka, also known as the bride’s family first visits the groom’s family and the groom’s side reciprocates the same by visiting the bridal residence.

While visiting the respective houses, they never forget to bring many gifts, including jewelry, money, and other valuables, along with sweets. The ritual is performed depending on the convenience of both families.

(2) Chunni Ceremony

This ritual officially marks the engagement of the to-be-weds. As part of this ritual, the groom’s family visits the bride’s house with a red-colored outfit like a sari or a lehenga-choli along with a headscarf, locally known as ‘Chunni.’ The members of the groom’s family give the bride valuables like bangles and necklaces. In some cases, the elders ask the groom to put vermilion marks on the bride’s forehead.

(3) Engagement (Saagai)

During this Punjabi wedding ritual, the bride and the groom exchange rings, mostly in the presence of close relatives and friends. Most of the Punjabi families consider the ring exchange as the acceptance of the bride and the groom for the wedding. In some other places, the ring exchange is done during the time of the wedding. Hence no separate function will be organized for the same.

(5) Mehendi Ceremony

The women folks love this Punjabi wedding ritual, where the Mehendi artists play a key role. They usually visit the bride’s house prior to the wedding ceremony and create intricate design patterns on the bride’s hands and feet. The women members in the family find extraordinary designs that they will prefer to have on the bride’s hands and feet. This ritual is also held in the groom’s house, where his friends and relatives dye the groom’s hands and feet.

(6) Ladies’ Sangeet (Music Night)

The women members of the bride’s family organize a music night prior to the wedding where the bride dances and sings. It is quite similar to the bachelorette party organized by the groom.

(7) Kangna Bandhana Ceremony (Tying the sacred thread)

On the wedding day morning, the chief priest who will be guiding the wedding ceremony ties a sacred thread on the wrists of the bride and the groom. It is believed that the holy thread would bring good luck to the couple, and hence they are supposed to carry the thread till it falls off.

(8) Chooda Chadhana (Bangle Placing)

It is one good variety of rituals performed during Punjabi wedding ceremonies. The bride’s maternal uncle would give her a set of 21 beautiful bangles, probably red, maroon, white, or ivory colors. These bangles are then dipped and get purified in a liquid mixture consisting of milk and rose petals. The elders from the family bless the bangles’ packets, and the maternal uncle first puts the bangle on the bride’s wrist.

(9) Haldi ceremony

This is an important ritual performed as part of Punjabi wedding celebrations. This happens on the morning of the wedding day. The bride sits down, facing four lamps to keep her glow throughout the day. The ladies from the bride’s family apply turmeric paste, sandalwood, and rosewater along with mustard oil on the bride’s body, providing a glowing skin for her.

(10) Sehrabandi

Before getting ready for the marriage, there is a special prayer session at the groom’s place, known as Sehrabandi. The groom stands in front of the idols of deities, and the priest performs the puja. The priest creates and sanctifies a headgear (sehra) and is wrapped around the groom’s head. After the ritual, the groom and the party move on to the wedding venue.

Wedding Rituals

(11) Agwaani

The arrival of the groom at a Punjabi wedding is termed as Agwaani. He arrives on his horse along with a procession. The brides’ family welcomes the guests sharing good gestures and hugging each other. It is widespread during every Punjabi wedding.

(12) Milni

After Agwaani, the bride’s mother will give a warm welcome to the groom performing aarti. This simply signifies that the groom is now a special person for them. The bride’s relatives one by one greets the groom. In between, the maternal uncle of the groom meets the maternal uncle of the bride. This ritual is together known as Milni.

(13) Jaimala

An elevated stand would be placed in the wedding venue where the groom is supposed to enter at first. The bride follows, and they exchange garlands. This is a fun-filled ritual in Punjabi weddings where the groom’s friends and relatives continuously interrupt when the groom starts to lower his head for the bride to put the garland. The bride has to work hard to reach the groom.

(14) Madhuperka

Madhuperka, aka Madhuperk in Punjabi weddings, is an age-old Vedic tradition. Once the couple exchanges the garlands, they will sit around the sacred fire. The bride gives a bowl of water to the groom, which he sprinkles on his body and then drinks it. Once he finishes this, he is given Madhuperk, a drink made of butter, ghee, curd, and honey.

(15) Kanyadaan

One of the most touching ceremonies held during Punjabi weddings is Kanyadaan. The bride’s father hands over his daughter to the groom to ensure that he will care for her from then onwards. The ritual symbolically signifies that the father has brought up his daughter with much love and the utmost care, which the groom should continue without any fail. He is expected to give her love, respect, and happiness. The father also advises her daughter that she should take care of her husband and his family very well.

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(16) Mangal Phere

In this ritual, the couple rounds the sacred fire set in the middle of the mandap four times. The scarf worn by the groom will be tied to the end of the cloth worn by the bride. The bride walks in the front for the first three rounds. This simply represents that the bride is an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi, and she would bring the groom wealth and prosperity. The groom comes in the front during the last step. After this, the couple is declared married by the priest.

(17) Lajahom

This ritual in Punjabi weddings includes the bride’s younger brother, who takes rice flakes in his hands, giving to the bride’s hands. The groom puts his hands beneath the bride’s hands. The couple together put the rice flakes on to the sacred fire three times.

(18) Sindoor Daan

During this Punjabi wedding ritual, the groom puts Sindoor (Vermillion) on the bride’s forehead. And this ritual marks the end of the Punjabi wedding ceremony and the start of a new life.

The bride is supposed to wear the sindoor mark after the rest of her life to let others know that she is a married woman.

Post-Wedding Rituals

(19) Vidaai

After the wedding ceremonies, it’s now time for the bride to leave. It’s a beautiful send-off ceremony where the bride takes a hand full of puffed rice, and she throws it backwards without looking back. Through this ritual, the bride thanks her family for taking care of her.

(20) Pani Bharna

This post-wedding ritual happens at the groom’s house. The mother-in-law, along with other family members, waits at the entrance to receive the newlywed. She will perform aarti for the bride. She is then taken to offer prayers to the almighty. It will be held mostly in a specially set room. The couple together seeks blessings, and the groom’s family members come forward to meet her and introduce themselves.

(21) Reception

And then comes a grand reception thrown to elate the newlywed along with the invited guests. The invitees will throw valuable gifts to the couple. Recently, a new custom has arrived in which the couple cut the bridal cake and have it along with Champagne. The night is celebrated, enjoying dance and music, making it more eventful. At last, a grand and extended buffet is served where you can enjoy the real taste of Punjab.

Also Read: Kerala Wedding – Interesting Traditions and Rituals

Now, it’s your turn to enjoy an extravagant and elegant Punjabi wedding ceremony. Without wasting time, you can find your Punjabi partner by registering for free at www.happyweddings.com. Have a great time ahead.