7 Unique Wedding Traditions in India

Indian weddings are an emotional affair, full of celebrations and rituals. One couple, two families and hundreds (nope, legit no exaggeration!) of loved ones come together for three-four days to celebrate the union of the loving couple.

India is a multicultural country with a mixture of communities. Every community has its unique wedding traditions. If you’re wondering what they are, read on!

1. Mothers not allowed! 

Bengali weddings have a tradition where the mothers of the bride or groom are not allowed at the mandap during the wedding ceremony. With the changing times, many mothers do participate in all the wedding ceremonies but most of them refrain from attending the actual wedding.

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2. Main nikla o gaddi leke!

In some Tamil Brahmin weddings, the groom has to change his mind and leave just before the wedding to become a ‘sanyasi’. The bride’s father is then required to go and convince and make the groom understand the importance of a wedding and bring him back to his ‘senses’.

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3. The Love Potion

Madhuparka, a weird tradition in Gujrati weddings, is where the bride’s parents welcome the groom by washing his feet in a mixture of milk and honey. What’s weird is that the groom has to drink this ‘potion’ before he enters the mandap.

4. Something’s fishy!

In some parts of Manipur, there’s a wedding ritual called ‘Nga Thaba’. Here, the women from the bride and groom’s family release two fish in a pond. This is symbolic to the start of the newlyweds’ life and is considered as a good sign if the fishes move together.

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5. Wedlock?
Ped-lock!

One of the most unusual traditions in Hindu marriages is where the girl is required to get married to a Peepal tree before marrying an actual human because she is a ‘Manglik’. It is believed that if this ritual isn’t performed, either the bride or groom will face fatal consequences.

6. La Tomatina Welcome

Like seen in the cult movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, in some parts of Uttar Pradesh, the groom and his family are welcomed by hurling tomatoes at them. Unlike everywhere else, it is believed that if the wedding begins on such an unfortunate incident, the relationship is sure to be a tale of true love.

7. The Holy Bath

In certain Punjabi weddings, there is a ritual called ‘Ghada Gharoli’ that the bride performs before she wears her shaadi ka joda. This ritual requires the bride’s mother and brother’s wife to go to a nearby temple to bring a pitcher full of water, considered sacred. The bride has to have a bath with this water before she wears her wedding dress.

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Have you experienced any of these? We would love to know about your experience. Comment below!