Roka
The first formal agreement of a North Indian match, when the families promise the couple to each other.
Also: rokna, roka ceremony
Roka means to stop, and it is the moment the two families agree that the boy and girl are spoken for and no other match will be considered. The groom's family visits, or both families meet at the bride's home, and the couple receive tilak, sweets, dry fruit and gifts. It is common among Hindus and Sikhs in Punjab, Delhi and Haryana, and sometimes takes place months before the engagement. The date of the wedding is usually fixed with a priest soon after.
Region: South Asia