A look into Soulful rituals of a Kashmiri Pandit Wedding Ceremony

Pre-wedding Rituals

Livun

After the Wedding Invitation Cards are distributed, and the time for the wedding nears, the pre-wedding rituals commence. In this ceremony, the houses of the bride and the groom are cleaned. The days to do so are different for both the houses. On this day, the familycook, builds an oven using mud and brick. It is placed in the backyard where the food for the wedding is prepared. ThisLivun is followed byWanwun, where a fun session of music and dance is organized in both the houses.

Maanziraat

In this ceremony, the doors of the bride and groom’s houses are decorated with colorful design. Then the maternal aunt of the bride washes her feet, and the eldest aunt applies Mehndi on her hands and feet. This ritual is then followed by delicious food prepared by the family cook.

Devgon

Prior to this ritual, the family members of the boy and girl observe a fast. In this ritual, the priests (Purohit) conduct a small Pooja in front of the sacred fire. Later, the gifts bought for the bride-to-be given to her during the wedding are placed in front of the fire. This ritual is then followed by Kanishran, in which both the boy and girl are bathed using water, milk, rice and curd. Later, the pair changes into new clothes. The Devgon ceremony is then followed by the Duribat, which marks the attendance of the bride and groom’s maternal relatives. This is then concluded by a scrumptious vegetarian lunch.

On The Day of Wedding

Wearing the wedding attire

In this ritual, the paternal uncle of the groom aids him in tying the Gordastar (turban), which is accessorized by a peacock feather that is tied to the turban using a gold thread. The groom then stands on a Vyog, which is a platform that has rice flour and colors on it. The groom then eats a piece of Nabad, which are sugar lumps as a start to a pleasant occasion. The relatives of the groom then distribute two rice pots with money to the poor and needy. The groom and his family then head towards the wedding venue.

Welcoming the groom

Once the groom reaches the wedding venue, he is welcomed by the blowing of a conch shell. He later stands on the Vyog, where in his bride-to-be joins him. They are then fed with Nabad along with rice pots given to the poor. Then, the Purohit/priests take them inside the wedding hall. After the priests perform the sacred rituals for the union of the two souls, the marriage is considered as legal. The couples perform the Saat Pheras and promise to be together all their life. This ritual is then followed by the Vidai, in which the bride bids her family and friend’s goodbye and heads to her husband’s house.Once the groom reaches the wedding venue, he is welcomed by the blowing of a conch shell. He later stands on the Vyog, where in his bride-to-be joins him. They are then fed with Nabad along with rice pots given to the poor. Then, the Purohit/priests take them inside the wedding hall. After the priests perform the sacred rituals for the union of the two souls, the marriage is considered as legal. The couples perform the Saat Pheras and promise to be together all their life. This ritual is then followed by the Vidai, in which the bride bids her family and friend’s goodbye and heads to her husband’s house.Colorful and unique is what might define a Kashmiri Pandit wedding ritual. The Kashmiri Pandit community is quite small in number, but their wedding rituals are worth experiencing. Read more to know how a Kashmiri Pandit wedding is conducted –

Pre-wedding Rituals

Livun

After the Wedding Invitation Cards are distributed, and the time for the wedding nears, the pre-wedding rituals commence. In this ceremony, the houses of the bride and the groom are cleaned. The days to do so are different for both the houses. On this day, the family cook, builds an oven using mud and brick. It is placed in the backyard where the food for the wedding is prepared. This Livun is followed by Wanwun, where a fun session of music and dance is organized in both the houses.

Maanziraat

In this ceremony, the doors of the bride and groom’s houses are decorated with colorful design. Then the maternal aunt of the bride washes her feet, and the eldest aunt applies Mehndi on her hands and feet. This ritual is then followed by delicious food prepared by the family cook.

Devgon

Prior to this ritual, the family members of the boy and girl observe a fast. In this ritual, the priests (Purohit) conduct a small Pooja in front of the sacred fire. Later, the gifts bought for the bride-to-be given to her during the wedding are placed in front of the fire. This ritual is then followed by Kanishran, in which both the boy and girl are bathed using water, milk, rice and curd. Later, the pair changes into new clothes. The Devgon ceremony is then followed by the Duribat, which marks the attendance of the bride and groom’s maternal relatives. This is then concluded by a scrumptious vegetarian lunch.

On The Day of Wedding

Wearing the wedding attire

In this ritual, the paternal uncle of the groom aids him in tying the Gordastar (turban), which is accessorized by a peacock feather that is tied to the turban using a gold thread. The groom then stands on a Vyog, which is a platform that has rice flour and colors on it. The groom then eats a piece of Nabad, which are sugar lumps as a start to a pleasant occasion. The relatives of the groom then distribute two rice pots with money to the poor and needy. The groom and his family then head towards the wedding venue.

Welcoming the groom

Once the groom reaches the wedding venue, he is welcomed by the blowing of a conch shell. He later stands on the Vyog, where in his bride-to-be joins him. They are then fed with Nabad along with rice pots given to the poor. Then, the Purohit/priests take them inside the wedding hall. After the priests perform the sacred rituals for the union of the two souls, the marriage is considered as legal. The couples perform the Saat Pheras and promise to be together all their life. This ritual is then followed by the Vidai, in which the bride bids her family and friend’s goodbye and heads to her husband’s house.

wedding invitation cards