Agni
The sacred fire that serves as witness to a Hindu wedding.
Also: agni sakshi, sacred fire, havan
Agni is the Vedic god of fire and the name of the flame that burns at the centre of a Hindu wedding, tended by the priest with ghee, grains and fragrant wood. The couple take their vows in its presence, and it is spoken of as the witness of the marriage. Offerings of puffed rice, laja homa, are made into it by the bride, with her brother's help in many regions. The fire is never put out by hand, and the family stays until it burns down.
Region: South Asia