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EveryShaadi

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.

🇮🇳 Chandigarh, IndiaBhangra A vigorous Punjabi folk dance performed to the beat of a dhol drum during harvest celebrations.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts

🇮🇳 IndiaTulasi Vivahतुलसी विवाह (Tulasī Vivāha) A symbolic Hindu wedding uniting the holy basil plant with a stone representing Vishnu.Rite · The weeks before

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreAlpanaআলপনা (Bengali) Rice flour floor paintings that bless homes and mark wedding celebrations in Bengal.Adornment · The weeks before

🇮🇳 IndiaOppanaഒപ്പന A circle dance and song tradition of the Mappila Muslim community in Kerala weddingsPerformance · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 India and 2 moreMandapaमण्डप (maṇḍapa) The pillared pavilion that serves as the stage for Hindu wedding rituals and temple gatherings.Setting · The ceremony

🇮🇳 IndiaChaklong wedding The traditional Ahom marriage system involving rice powder mandalas and ancestral rituals.Rite · Finding a match

🇮🇳 IndiaMehndi The henna body art applied to brides and guests before a South Asian wedding ceremony.Adornment · The weeks before

🇮🇳 IndiaAyyavazhi wedding The sacred rite of Ayyavazhi that treats marriage as a spiritual sacrament and family life as the highest austerity.Rite · Procession and arrival 🇮🇳 IndiaHindi wedding songs Film and folk music that accompanies the stages of a North Indian Hindu wedding.Performance · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 IndiaOdia Hindu weddingBahaghara (ଓଡ଼ିଆ ବାହାଘର) The traditional Hindu marriage ceremony of the Odia people in Odisha, India.Rite · Engagement and betrothal 🇮🇳 Goa, IndiaHaldi Kumkum A gathering of married women in southern India who exchange turmeric and vermilion to celebrate their status.Blessing 🇮🇳 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 1 moreAiburo Bhaatআইবুড়ো ভাত The final bachelor feast for the bride and groom before their Bengali weddingFeast custom · The weeks before

🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 1 moreBengali Muslim weddingবাঙালি মুসলিম বিয়ে A multi-day Bengali Muslim marriage blending Islamic rites with local folk traditions.Rite · The weeks before 🇮🇳 IndiaZoroastrian wedding A Zoroastrian marriage ceremony featuring hand-fastening, rice sprinkling, and shared meals.Rite · Engagement and betrothal 🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 1 moreBou Bhatবউ ভাত A feast hosted by the groom's family to welcome the bride into her new home.Feast custom · After the wedding

🇳🇵 Nepal and 2 moreKhata A ceremonial scarf offered to show respect and welcome at weddings and other gatherings in Tibet and Nepal.Adornment · Reception, dance and gifts

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreYajnaयज्ञ (Yajña) A sacred fire ritual central to Hindu weddings and other rites of passageRite · The ceremony

🇮🇳 Madurai, IndiaGoluBommai kolu (Tamil), Bommala Koluvu (Telugu), Gombe Habba (Kannada) A tiered display of dolls and figurines arranged in South Indian homes during the Navaratri festival.Feast custom · The weeks before

🇮🇳 Ahmedabad, India and 1 moreGarba A circle dance from Gujarat performed around a sacred flame during the Navaratri festival.Performance · The weeks before 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreLuddi A circle dance of Punjab performed at weddings and celebrations by men and women.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts

Photo credits on this page

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

Mehndi: AKS.9955, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Ayyavazhi wedding: Vaikunda Raja, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Garba: anurag agnihotri, CC BY 2.0, source
Yajna: Chainwit., CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Chaklong wedding: Chiring chandan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Odia Hindu wedding: Aditya Mahar, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Tulasi Vivah: Unknown author, CC BY 3.0, source
Alpana: Tripan123, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Golu: Ksiva21, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Oppana: Shagil Kannur, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Bhangra: Jimmysekhon25, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Khata: Wiki-uk, CC BY 3.0, source
Aiburo Bhaat: Ranganm2021, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Bengali Muslim wedding: NahidSultan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Mandapa: Rajendran Ganesan, CC BY 2.0, source

The weekly EveryShaadi

Every week: one wedding tradition from somewhere new, the wedding days coming up around the world, and one idea explained.