Hindu wedding traditions
A Hindu wedding, or vivaha, is one of the samskaras, the life rites, and is usually held before a sacred fire.
A Hindu wedding, or vivaha, is one of the samskaras, the life rites, and is usually held before a sacred fire. It can last an hour or several days, and it differs widely by region, language and caste. What follows is an outline, and families will tell you their own version.
The sacred fire and the seven steps
The fire, Agni, is the witness. The central acts are the saptapadi, seven steps taken together around the fire with a vow for each, and in many communities the pani grahana, the clasping of hands. Under the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955 in India, the saptapadi completes a marriage where it is the custom of the parties. Other rites include the garland exchange of jaimala, the tying of the mangalsutra in the south, the sindoor in the north and east, and the laja homa, in which rice is offered into the fire.
Kanyadaan and its debates
In kanyadaan the bride's father places her hand in the groom's, a rite often translated as the gift of the daughter. Some Hindus see it as the highest act of generosity. Others, including reformers since the Arya Samaj and many modern couples, object that a woman is not a gift, and skip it or change it so that both families give each other. Priests are divided, and the debate is open.
Regional variety
A Tamil Brahmin wedding includes the kashi yatra, the oonjal swing and the tying of the thali. A Bengali wedding has the shubho drishti, when the couple first look at each other under a betel leaf, and the sankha and sindoor. A Gujarati wedding has the jaimala and the mangal pheras. A Malayali Hindu wedding is brief, with a thali tied in front of a lamp. A Marathi wedding has the antarpat and the mangalashtak chanted. Nepal, Bali and Fiji each keep their own forms, and Balinese Hindu weddings have a distinct ritual structure.
Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Background on Hindu (faith). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreMaithil Vivahमैथिल विवाह
The arranged Hindu marriage of Maithils in the Mithila region, guided by Vedic texts and local customs.Betrothal · Finding a match
🇹🇭 Thailand and 5 moreBride price
Wealth paid by the groom or his family to the bride or her kin to formalize a union.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇳 IndiaIndian wedding clothes
Traditional garments worn by Indian couples and guests across multiple days of celebrationAttire · The weeks before
🇮🇳 IndiaKettu KalyanamTālikettukalyānam
A mock marriage ritual in Kerala that marked a girl as ready for real unions by tying a sacred thread.Betrothal · The weeks before
🇮🇳 IndiaMeitei weddingLuhongba (ꯂꯨꯍꯣꯡꯕ)
The traditional union of the Meitei people, marked by clan exogamy and specific courtship rituals.Rite · Finding a match
🇳🇵 Bhaktapur, NepalIhiईही (Nepal Bhasa)
A pre-puberty rite where Newar girls in Nepal are symbolically married to a deity or fruit.Betrothal · The weeks before
🇮🇷 Iran and 5 moreNikah mut'ahنكاح المتعة
A private contract for a fixed-term marriage practiced in Twelver Shia Islam.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇳 IndiaMehndi
The henna body art applied to brides and guests before a South Asian wedding ceremony.Adornment · The weeks before
🇮🇳 IndiaIndian wedding invitationsNimantraṇa patra (निमन्त्रण पत्र)
Decorated cards sent to announce a marriage and invite guests to the celebration.Betrothal · The weeks before
🇻🇳 VietnamTraditional Vietnamese weddingLễ cưới truyền thống Việt Nam
The multi-stage ceremony of betrothal, engagement and union that marks a marriage in Vietnam.Attire · Finding a match
🇮🇳 IndiaTelugu Hindu weddingతెలుగు వివాహ వేడుక
A multi-day Telugu Hindu marriage marked by seven vows around fire and family rituals.Rite · Finding a match
🇮🇳 India and 4 moreAuspicious wedding dates
The selection of lucky times for a ceremony based on astrology, numerology, and tradition.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreAiburo Bhaatআইবুড়ো ভাত
The final bachelor feast for the bride and groom before their Bengali weddingFeast custom · The weeks before
🇮🇳 Delhi, India and 2 moreKarva Chauthकरकचतुर्थी (Karakachaturthī)
A Hindu festival where married women fast from sunrise to moonrise for their husband's health and life.Betrothal · The weeks before
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Indian wedding invitations: Onef9day, CC BY 3.0, source
- Mehndi: AKS.9955, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Karva Chauth: Iamwiki001, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Indian wedding clothes: Lee Jordan, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Bride price: Пимоненко Николай Корнилиевич, Public domain, source
- Meitei wedding: Dabu Leichombam, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ihi: Dirghaman Chitrakar, Public domain, source
- Maithil Vivah: Sntshkumar750, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Traditional Vietnamese wedding: Gabrielle M. Vassal, Public domain, source
- Aiburo Bhaat: Ranganm2021, CC BY-SA 4.0, source