Wedding rituals of different states have different customs which makes them mesmerizing. The Maharashtrian wedding is full of different rituals making it more vibrant and lively. In Marathi wedding, most of the wedding rituals and ceremonies are conducted during the day. The wedding is generally fixed by the both the families after matching the horoscope of would be bride and groom. After perfectly matching the horoscope, they fixed an auspicious date for wedding and other ceremonies.
Shakar Puda rituals: This is the first ritual among all wedding ceremonies. This is very much similar to the engagement ceremony of the North Indian states. The family of the groom offers gifts such as sari and packet of sugar or sweets to the Marathi bride as a ceremony ritual. After this ritual, the Marathi Bride and Groom exchange the rings.
Kelvan Ritual: In this ceremony a special prayer is performed at both, the Maharashtrian bride and groom’s family. During this ceremony both the families offer their prayers to their Kuldevta (family deity). Generally, this prayer ceremony is followed by a family lunch.
Ganapati Puja: In Maharashtrain wedding, all the ceremonies begin after the Ganesh puja on the wedding day. The puja is conducted to seek the blessings of the Lord Ganesha. The bride’s maternal uncle escorts her to the lagna mandap, where the holy verses are being recited by the pujari. After this, the bride and groom are expected to wear the mundavalya on their heads, which is basically a string of flowers or pearls.
Seemaan puja: This is a very special ceremony conducted when the Marathi groom reaches the wedding venue with the wedding procession. The bride’s parents wash his feet and shower him with different gifts like clothes, sweets, jewelry, dry fruits and other things with their special blessings for his new journey with their daughter.
Antarpat ritual: As all marriage ceremonies begins once the bride and groom completes this ceremony, the Marathi bride and groom are not supposed to see each other before this special ritual. They are generally separated with a silk shawl, which is placed between the two of them to create a kind of wall.
Sankalap Ritual: After the holy verses are recited, the couple sees each-other for the first time on the wedding day. All the relatives and guests shower akshata on the couple. After this ceremony, the couple exchange garlands.
Kanyadan ceremony: In this sacred ceremony, the bride’s father gives his daughter’s hand in the hand of the groom. After this, the groom ties a mangalsutra around the neck of the bride and applies sindoor in the centre of her hair parting. Once he applies the sindoor, the bride applies a sandalwood tikka on the groom’s forehead as ritual.
Satapadhi & Karmasampati ceremony: In satapadhi ritual, the couple takes seven rounds around the sacred fire and takes the seven holy wedding vows. In this ceremony, the bride is expected to touch the seven small heaps of rice with her right foot. After completing this ceremony the next ceremony is karmasampati, where the bride’s father along with the newly wedded couple prays to lord for his blessings for their happy and successful married life. All this is followed by a grand lunch to mark the completion of the wedding ceremonies.