Hindu Marriages

What does it mean to be married? Traditions around the globe

It is important to note, from the onset, that marriage remains one of the world's most practiced traditions. Despite its widespread practice, marriage is conducted differently across different cultures. This discussion concerns itself with Hindu wedding ceremonies. In the words of Prinja (2009), "the precise details and rituals performed in a wedding ceremony vary from region to region and often take several hours to complete." Some of the key phases of Hindu weddings, as highlighted by Prinja (2009), are: jayamaala, madhu-parka, gau daan and kanya pratigrahan, vivaha-homa, paanigrahan, shilarohan and laaja homa, sapta-padi, surya darshan and dhruva darshan, and ashirvada (blessings). Because of space constraints, I will address these in brief.

To mark the start of the wedding, the bridegroom and his family are welcomed by the bride's parents at the designated location of the wedding. After...
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