When Tradition Marries Opulence

The extravagance, élan, and elaborate detailing of a Marwari wedding is like none other. It’s like transporting yourself to a fairy-tale land, or reading from the pages of royal history. Traditional rituals and customs are at the heart of a Marwari wedding, which surrounded by unbridled fun and festivity make for a grand spectacle indeed.

- Benaifer J Mirza

Band, Baaja, Baaraat… just these three words can sum up the mood and gaiety around a wedding. And, of course, a Marwari wedding isn’t simply a wedding; it’s a mega event, to say the least. Months of planning, weeks of preparations, days of ceremonies—all come together for that one special moment when the couple commits to eternal togetherness.

Though the Marwari community takes pride in remaining rooted in traditions, there is often a modern twist to some wedding rituals. However, the crux largely remains unshaken. While some customs and rituals may or may not be a part of some Marwari families, here is how the Marwari wedding affair more or less flows:

Pre-wedding rituals

The celebrations begin with the Sagaai or Mudha-Tikka. This is held at the groom’s home, where the bride’s brother applies a kumkum-and-rice tikka on the groom’s forehead. This is a sign that the match has been accepted and sealed. Women are usually not present for this ceremony.

Two days before the wedding, the bride’s and groom’s families initiate the wedding rituals by placing an idol of Lord Ganesha on a sacred pedestal, at the Ganpati Sthapana ritual. For the Griha Shanti, priests perform a puja or havan to appease the stars and planetary gods, so that they remain harmonious and bestow their blessings on the betrothed and their families during the ceremonies. Here, offerings are made to the fire, which is the core element of all the prayers. Both these rituals are performed at the bride and the groom’s respective homes.

More commonly known as Haldi, at the Pithi Dastoor