Gujarat is the land of colours and hospitality. The very same emotions reflect in their wedding ceremonies as well. There is a whole lot of food and dancing too. The ceremonies start of right with the acceptance which is called CHANDLO MATLI. Chandlo is a red-coloured circle made in the centre of the groom’s forehead, which marks the beginning of the wedding rituals. Then comes the engagement ceremony or the GOL DHANA which means coriander seeds and jaggery. It gets its name from the fact that on the engagement, these two things are distributed among the guests. The pre wedding ceremonies include Griha Shanti (to seek the blessings of the nine planets). Next comes the Pithi (a paste of sandalwood powder, herbs, rosewater and mogra) ceremony, where this paste is applied to the bride by the women of her family. Then there is the traditional sangeet and mehendi ceremony too.
On the wedding day, the brides wear a traditional saree with seedha pallu which could either be Panetar and Gharchola. The saree and the border are enriched with elaborate zari work and stones. The bride’s maternal uncle gifts her outfit. The Gharchola is a silk saree in rich red or maroon colour with zari threads and bandhani work and is usually gifted from the groom’s side.
Her jewellery includes Gala no har, kan ni butti, Nathn, Bajubandh with Bangadiand Patla, Chandlo and Chadda. The groom wears dhoti kurta traditionally but even indo westerns and sherwanis are also preferred now days. They almost always wear a bandhani stole and an embellished turban.
On the wedding day the groom leaves home with a baraat. The first ceremony is the Jaimala followed by Kanyaadaan and finally the Mangalpheras. Unlike other Indian weddings, Gujarati weddings have only four pheras and that is followed by saptapadi where the bride and groom take seven steps together and finally seek the blessings of their elders.
