Kannada Wedding Rituals

Wedding is one of the most blissful celebrations in one's life. In India, there is no specific wedding rituals and tradition. Different parts of the country celebrate differently. The Kannada wedding, that takes place in Karnataka, is marked by a number of unique rituals, which are practiced before, on and after the wedding day. Kannada wedding, unlike the resplendent marriage which takes place in other parts of India, is a simple affair. During the D-day, there are a number of customary practices and rituals that are performed - right from purifying the madap or the place, where the marriage is going to take place to the var puja, the Dhare Herdu custom and Saptapadi ceremony. To know in detail about each of the ritual practiced, read through the following lines.

Kannada Wedding Customs

Mandap Puja & Var Puja
The first and foremost ritual that is performed on the wedding day is the Mandap puja. Preparations are done to purify the mandap and hall, where marriage is to take place. The bride's father then escorts the groom to the mandap. Thereafter, the bridegroom (who is considered to be a form of Lord) is worshipped. This ceremony is called Var Puja. The bride's parents wash the groom's feet. The groom is given a silk dhoti and pitambar to wear.

Thereafter, the bride is brought to the mandap with her sister covering her face with a fan made from peacock feathers. A white cloth is raised so that the couple cannot see each other. The groom and the bride put garland around each other's neck, to the chant of mantras. The bridegroom's sister holds a kalash of holy water containing a coconut, beetle leaves and Kombu Gindi.

Dhare Herdu Custom
Dhare Herdu custom is performed by the bride's parents as a gesture of giving away their daughter to the bridegroom. The bride's hand is placed in her husband's hand and a coconut and beetle leaves are kept on their hands. Then the parents pour a few drops of holy water on their hands. Thereafter, the bridegroom ties the mangalsutra around his wife's neck.

Saptapadi Ceremony
Saptapadi ceremony involves the taking of seven rounds by the couple around the sacred fire. Known as the saat phera, in every round, the couple makes a promise to each other to be at one another's side in good and bad times.