Maharashtra Marriage Traditions

The most deciding factor in a Maharashtrian wedding is the grahas (stars) of the boy and the girl. Once the horoscope is matched, it is given to the respective Brahmins for Gun - Milan (matching points). If sixteen points match, the knot can be tied and the process of wedding begins.

Baithak is a meeting of the elder relatives of both the families who talk and decide on various issues regarding the actual Muhurat (auspicious time).The engagement ceremony called Sakharpuda is held a day before the wedding or in the morning of the wedding day. At this ceremony, the groom's parents give a saree to the bride as a symbol of acceptance into their family. Her hands are adorned with green bangles, proving her engagement. She is also given a pack of sugar, representing the spread of sweetness. A day before the wedding, haldi paste is applied to the bride. In the haldi ceremony for the boy, a group of his women relatives apply haldi on him and douse him with water- this is a ritual meant to sheer the groom of shyness.

On the day of the wedding both the Var (groom) and the Vadhu (bride) are traditionally dressed. The Vadhu, adorned with jewellry, flowers and perfume is beautifully draped in her wedding saree, Shalu. She is brought by her maternal uncle into the pandal where the Var was also brought by his maternal uncle and is impatiently waiting for his companion. Both are made to stand apart, facing each other with garlands in their hands and between them is a plain white cloth called the Antarpath, with a swastika mark made with kumkum. Both have Karawali (partners) standing next to them as support, holding a vessel with water and a coconut. The ceremony continues with the chanting of auspicious shlokas or mantras with showers of coloured rice to greet the newly wed. The Vadhu garlands the Var and touches his feet to seek blessings. The Var then garlands his wife. Then five married ladies from both the families come forward and take aarti of the newly wed.

After the garland ceremony the couple sit near the Brahmin where the Lajja Hom is performed. Then the Var presents his wife the mangalsustra and later puts toe rings on her toes. Then he fills her maang with sindoor. Next, they both have to stand, offer Lhaya (dried rice) into the Agni and go around the home seven times. In the first two rounds the Var leads and in the remaining two the Vadhu walks ahead of him.

After the Lajja Hom, the couple performs Laxmi Poojan, and then the groom gives a new name to his wife, which he writes on the rice with a gold ring.