Wedding traditions of South Asia

Saptapadi and the sacred fire, mehndi and haldi, baraat and nikah: the longest, loudest weddings anywhere. 119 traditions on EveryShaadi so far.

🇮🇳 IndiaSambandam The traditional matrilineal marriage alliance of Kerala's Nairs and Nambudiris.Betrothal · Finding a match

🇮🇳 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

🇮🇳 Delhi, India and 1 moreBaraat The groom's wedding procession through the streets to the bride's home or venue.Performance · Procession and arrival

🇮🇳 IndiaGaye holudগায়ে হলুদ The turmeric ceremony that prepares the Bengali bride and groom for marriageRite · The weeks before

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreMayian A pre-wedding cleansing ritual in Punjabi culture where turmeric paste is applied to the couple.Blessing · The weeks before 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreChuraचूरा (Hindi) The red and white bangles that mark a bride's new status in Indian Hindu weddingsAttire · The weeks before 🇵🇰 Pakistan and 4 moreWatta sattaوٹّا سٹّا (Punjabi), شغار (Urdu) A reciprocal marriage arrangement where two families exchange sisters and brothers to bind their households together.Betrothal · Finding a match 🇮🇳 IndiaTree marriage A symbolic proxy marriage between a person and a tree to bypass restrictions on remarriageBetrothal · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreAnand Karajਅਨੰਦ ਕਾਰਜ The Sikh wedding rite where the couple circles the Guru Granth Sahib to four hymns of union.Rite · Procession and arrival 🇮🇳 Lucknow, IndiaBabulबाबुल The Hindi term for father that marks the emotional farewell of a bride leaving her home.Performance · The eve 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreLeirum Pheeꯂꯩꯔꯨꯝ ꯐꯤ A traditional Meitei shawl given as a wedding gift from parents to daughtersAttire · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 IndiaSehraसेहरा (Hindi) A floral or beaded veil tied to the groom's turban before he departs for the wedding ceremony.Attire · The weeks before

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreDowry A payment of wealth from the bride's family to the groom or his household at marriage.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal 🇮🇳 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

🇳🇵 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

🇮🇳 India and 2 moreArranged marriage in the Indian subcontinent The family-led matchmaking process that shapes most marriages across South Asia.Betrothal · Finding a match 🇮🇳 IndiaGauna The ceremony that marks the start of conjugal life in northern Indian Hindu marriages.Rite · After the wedding 🇮🇳 IndiaBrahmanippattu A devotional song and dance performed by Nambeesan women to bless a marriage with the grace of the Goddess.Performance · The weeks before 🇮🇳 Goa, IndiaHaldi Kumkum A gathering of married women in southern India who exchange turmeric and vermilion to celebrate their status.Blessing 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreInter-caste marriage Marriages between people from different castes in India and Nepal.Modern

🇮🇳 Mumbai, India and 3 moreDowry system in Indiaदहेज (Hindi), ज़ेहर (Urdu) The transfer of cash and goods from the bride's family to the groom that has become a source of financial strain and vioGift custom · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 India and 2 moreHindu weddingvivaha (विवाह) The traditional marriage ceremony for Hindus, centered on sacred fire and seven vows.Rite · Engagement and betrothal 🇮🇳 IndiaSakharpuda The Maharashtrian engagement rite where sugar and coconuts seal a verbal promise between families.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

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreWedding veil A cloth covering the head or face worn by brides and grooms to mark marriage.Attire · The ceremony 🇧🇹 Bhutan and 5 moreSororate marriage A practice where a man marries his late or infertile wife's sister to keep family ties strong.Family role · After the wedding 🇦🇫 Afghanistan and 1 moreBaad A customary settlement where a girl or woman is handed over to an offended household to close a dispute.Gift custom 🇱🇰 Kandy, Sri LankaKandyan marriage The traditional union rites of Sri Lanka's Buddhist Kandyan community, defined by residence and inheritance.Vow · Engagement and betrothal

🇳🇵 NepalInter-caste marriage in Nepalअन्तरजातीय विवाह Marriage across caste lines in a society where such unions were once illegal and remain socially contested.Vow · Engagement and betrothal 🇦🇫 Kabul, AfghanistanPolygamy in Afghanistan The practice of Afghan men taking multiple wives under Islamic and civil law.Family role · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 Kinnaur, IndiaPolyandry in India A practice where a woman has multiple husbands at the same time, found in specific Indian communities.Vow · Engagement and betrothal 🇱🇰 Kandy, Sri LankaPolygamy in Sri Lanka The historical and current legal status of multiple marriages under Kandyan and Muslim law.Vow

🇮🇳 Saurath, India and 2 moreSaurath Sabha The annual Maithil Brahmin gathering in Bihar for arranged marriages based on lineage records.Betrothal · Finding a match

🇳🇵 NepalSherpa marriage The astrological matching and barley beer offering that binds a Sherpa couple.Betrothal · Finding a match 🇮🇳 IndiaLohepfhe A black shawl with red and green bands worn by Angami and Chakhesang Naga men at weddings.Attire · The ceremony

🇮🇳 India and 5 morePolyandry A marriage structure where one woman is wed to multiple men simultaneously or in sequence.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal 🇮🇳 India and 3 moreInter-caste marriage A union between people of different castes, often contested in South Asia.Vow · Engagement and betrothal

🇵🇰 Pakistan and 5 moreCousin marriage A union between people who share a grandparent or recent ancestor, practiced in many regions and communities.Vow · Finding a match

🇮🇳 India and 2 moreNose jewelNath A nose piercing ornament that signals marital status and social standing in South Asia and beyond.Adornment · The weeks before

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Sherpa marriage: Dirk Pons, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Nose jewel: Etan Doronne @ www.myindiaexperience.com, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Laavaan: Ashish 100, CC BY 2.0, source
Polyandry in India: Raja Ravi Varma, Public domain, source
Saurath Sabha: Saurath Sabha, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Sehra: SynthContibutor, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Inter-caste marriage in Nepal: Sajan Pundit, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Baraat: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pnglife/, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Gaye holud: Arr4, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Dowry: Vassili Vladimirovich Pukiryov, Public domain, source
Ihi: Dirghaman Chitrakar, Public domain, source
Arranged marriage in the Indian subcontinent: Hindustanilanguage, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Maithil Vivah: Sntshkumar750, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Wedding veil: David Ring, CC0, source
Dowry system in India: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Hindu wedding: Dinesh Cyanam, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Aiburo Bhaat: Ranganm2021, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Mayian: Rakzika, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Cousin marriage: 綾絲, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

Wedding traditions of South Asia

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Photo credits on this page

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