Stylish Brides

Tamilians are traditional people, rooted in their culture and customs. They know their religious festivities very well. They are aware of the gunas and kundali that are part of the calculations in the science of Astrology. The individual’s birthplace and time of birth determine the influence of the stars and planets on their lives. A match of the characteristics aligned with the gravitational effect of these heavenly bodies forms the basis of matching Lagna and kundali. This fascinating study and practice is the calculation of probability.

Matrimony Sites Don’t Ponder on Probables

In Tamil Matrimony or any other matrimony, astrology provides the points of reference to calculate probability, which reflect time and gravitational effects. Both these things are based on kundali and gunas.

An introduction: Astrology and the Hindu belief system remains of great interest to people around the globe. The specific use of these principles and rituals that surround it for match-making is intriguing. In Tamil Matrimony, matching kundalis isn’t a superficial practice, but an important beginning. The results are usually taken as a guide, and not followed blindly.  

About horoscope matching: Matching Kundalis before marriage has always been an integral part of the Hindu marriage system. Most families resort to it even before the couple can meet each other. In traditional societies, this is still the norm, where parents consult an astrologer to check the zodiac compatibility of the couples. This is done in accordance with their Janam Patri or birth chart. Eight crucial counts are measured and matched of the boy and girl wishing to marry, which add to a total of 36 gunas or points. These are Varna, Vashya, Tara, Yoni, Graha-Matri, Bhakoot and Nadi.

The theory: Should the comparison of the birth charts show that 27 of the 36 gunas match, then this is considered as most compatible. For a count of matches between 18-26, a matrimony is advised. The major reason for such a kundali Milan is to ensure compatibility and likelihood of a successful partnership of those seeking to get wed.

The essence of probability: Kundalis and its matching show probabilities, and you could choose to believe or disbelieve this system. Tamilians being the rational people they are, do not take decisions in haste or without some reasoning, most use this process as a check mark and some peace of mind. Matching kundalis is a safety measure, that is based on the probabilities defined. They also believe that one can strongly alter the results of astrology through one’s Karma. The Vedas stress more on your karma more than astrological findings and probable outcomes. Quite a few tamilians also compare the boy and girl using their sun signs. So far, at least 78% of the Tamils in India opt for kundali Milan and a whopping 90% of them abroad prefer matching horoscopes, thus keeping tradition intact.

The reality: Marriages might begin auspiciously with the matching of kundalis and gunas but it takes much more than astrology to keep it together.

The Bengali's conduct their marriage ceremony with optimum energy in the most celebratory tone. The wedding customs, through elaborate and interesting, are extremely traditional and basic. A Bengali girl looks as a genuine reflection of elegance and magnificence. Her wedding attire is exceptionally beautiful and looks gorgeous in its primary wedding trousseau. Concisely, Bengali Matrimony is not just a show of magnificence and extravagance, but also a solemn and loud observation of the rituals. The spouse, her ensemble, adornments and makeup items are indeed the impression of her personality and her family.

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Be that as it may, today’s men are also cognizant about their dressing and looks, regardless of the event. When it comes to their own wedding, grooms now think, ‘why should women have all the fun?” That’s the right attitude because honestly speaking; the Bengali groom’s dress was a damp squib in front of the flamboyance of the Bengali bride. The typical tussar Punjabi and topor was the butt of a million jokes as that make the groom appear some sort of a jester in front the elegance of the bride. However, men now want better apparel for them by mixing a dash of modernity.

Dhoti and Kurta: Considering all things, Bengalis pronounce it as dhuti. It happens to be the most critical piece of the groom’s dress. It’s either made of silk or khadi. You wear the dhoti in cream, beige or white shading. You can simply wear a pure cotton dhoti depending upon your comfort level. The standard color of the dhoti is usually white. But, grooms are now incorporating new style patterns and colors and the designs are coming up real quick. Grooms are exploring new avenues to try different shades based on the visage they want to sport on their marriage day.

The Punjabi: It’s the kurta the groom wears in a Bengali Matrimony. It’s typically made of tasar or silk. The weaving is very intricate and complex. Bengalis generally don’t opt for heavy kurtas and you can wear a kurta in any shade if you want. Majority of Bong grooms lean towards maroon or cream colored kurtas. They look imperial. Now, if you want to attain a cutting-edge appeal, you can wear a majestic sherwani. There are countless Bengali grooms adorning the Sherwani to create the royal vibe and it is exceeding the pujabi kurta appeal. The increasing groups and options of dapper designs for the sherwani in the business sector have increased its accessibility. It can also influence the groom’s choice. If you don’t want to look like a traditional Bong, dump the conventional Punjabi and opt for the sherwani or semi-kurta with dhoti.

Jor: Bengalis call it Jodh. You wear this silk wrap in your wedding rituals. In Bengali marriages, the groom needs to wear it along with the dhoti for each ritual. There are some lucky blokes who wear dhoti-punabi after wearing this silk wrap.

You can also wear tailored pyjamas with the kurta. That will give you a royal look. Many young bong grooms are also opting for turban in place of the conventional topor.

When it’s raining love for your friend and he or she is going to tie the knot, looking your best at her walimah and nikah is a must. The pre-wedding rituals are by and large, very interesting in every community. If you want your Muslim Matrimony to be more fun and loud with a dash of modernity, then the twist needs to be done on the pre-wedding traditions only. That’s the area you can actually improvise upon.

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Your experiments and twists will be in the ceremony, pre-wedding events and attire. Here’s a close look at the events.

Knowing the basic things: Although it might become overwhelming to give a romantic proposal for showcasing all the feels, it doesn’t always happen with Muslims. It’s primarily because Islamic jurisprudence places limitations on the mixing, interaction and camaraderie between unmarried females and males. Due to this, the proposals are mainly formal, which sometimes can resemble a business approach. The groom visits the bride’s place and asks her hand in marriage from her father. The entire episode can be nerve-wracking from the hapless guy. If the bride makes her final call with a yes, you can start the celebrations. There’s not much space to induce fun till now.

The mangla: Muslim families in India host mangla, a ritual for announcing the extended family of the couple and denoting that they will get married. The groom again visits the bride’s house. Here, you can have some music and dance. The party could be at a community center or hall too. You can organize a tea party on Mangla day.

The engagement moments: It’s a separate occasion altogether. Normally, the bride and her family host this event. The brides adorn traditional outfits like sairs, ghararas and Punjabis in this ritual. You can hold your engagement at some party venue. Let the bride sit on a lit-up stage and the guests/family members can be at front.

The groom’s entrance: Just before the guy enters, his family comes with different beautifully wrapped and coiled engagement parcels exclusively for the bride. You can make these parcels very interesting by including pictures of the girl and boy and their snaps on the front of the packs. In conservative folds, these parcels comprise eastern fabric and sweet meats. The girl needs to take that to her tailor. Instead of exhibiting the parcels on tables, which is the norm, you can display that on a sofa or even make her open in front the guests. It’s look like a princess checking artifacts of a museum.

The wedding entrance: A typical entrance of the groom in Muslim Matrimony involves a decked, suit-clad, beaming chap putting his best foot forward, slowly treading his way into the hall. There are Bollywood beats and tracks accompanying his steps. To spice things up, you can put an extra little card in the bouquet of flowers that he gifts to his bride on the main stage.

You can pen down some personal message for your bride and present it to her. It will be a precious moment when she reads it.

The traditional Indian weddings are soaked in rich traditions and culture, which form an integral part of the life of people. Oriya matrimony and its weddings witnesses a flurry of rituals and the attire of the bride and groom go in parity with the sanctity of the customs ad rituals. The wedding dress typically contains the traditional shades of red, yellow and white as they have a deep religious meaning. The glamour and pomp attached with modern marriages today are decaying the significance of these colors. People are hell bent on effectuating a modern look sans making any introspection.

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This is what our topic seeks to address. While bride many be the center of attraction of the marriage ceremony owing to her elaborate ensembles, the accompanying makeup and heavy jewelry, the modern groom needs to follow suit too.

Keep pace with traditions: The regular Oriya is supposed to dress in the dhoti that men in Orissa usually wear. The attire’s color is supposed to be white, which stands for purity. But, the modern groom entails the flexibility of adorning the traditional dhoti with the ravish Kurta to give an Indo-western ethnic twist.

Message of the outfit: Whatever you choose to wear, your dress should compliment your marriage and the tonality. Choose your dress according to your bride’s sari so that you have a either a complementing colored mood or a contrasting theme.

The color matching: For a radiant red sari that she is wearing, you can choose a bright red kurta with an elegant white churidar with auspicious shades. It’s best to keep the colors in the shades of pristine white, yellow or red for the sherwani or kurta as per your wish. The churidar will look at its imperious best in white as it also helps to add height to men with a short frame or stature.

Choose the colors wisely: Since you’re supposed to wear the groom crown throughout your marriage, you need to opt for the design and color of the crown wisely. Go for shades that complement your dress. In case you have bought yourself a Sherwani that carries a heavy or ornate look, you should go for crown with lighter colors. In that way, you can coordinate the main appeal and look. It will also make your face and frame prominent and not drown you in the barrage of colors. It’s a smart way to attach some modernity to the Oriya groom in Oriya matrimony.

The contrasting marvels: If you want to strike a catchy, contrasting look, you can go for the white sherwani or kurta with the self-colored design and embroidery that also helps in providing that extended appeal. Just make sure that you choose a color that’s in sharp contrast with the traditional auspicious colors.

Your homework: In addition to all those improvisations on the outfit, always remember that your hands, skin and feet do have a huge role in the ultimate groom look.

Do spend some time and undergo pedicure and manicure alongside facial so that your look as glamorous and radiant as that perfect dress of yours.

It’s the dream and wants of every parent out there to see that their daughter is happy after marriage. Only those who have a daughter and experienced her ‘bidaai’ to her new abode with her husband knows how it feels to see their daughter go to another house. Of course, she will maintain contact every day and keep coming back whenever possible, but officially she resigns to another house, which is her new home. That’s the way of the world. Parents bid adieu to their daughter with a heavy heart. They have only one thing to ask and desire, her happiness and prosperity. In sites like shadi.com, parents make their profiles to ensure they find the right match for their beloved daughter.

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A daughter or girl child is considered to be the ornament of the house and an incarnation of Goddess Laskhmi. Parents do have every right to assess the prospective husband.

Name and respect he commands: When you bring your daughter up with all the care, love, respect and attention, you would always want her to be in safe hands. No wonder, throughout different rituals of regions in India, the father ceremoniously requests the groom to take care of his daughter and love her as much as he does. The groom replies with a big, solemn yes. You have rituals like kasha yatra and kanyadaan where the father gives his daughter’s to the groom, with the condition that he takes care of her unconditionally. You need to ascertain that this gentleman commands some respect in the society and has a name in his occupation.

Honesty and loyalty: Integrity of character is extremely crucial in a prospective groom. He must be loyal to your daughter. No parent would their daughter to be rounds for a Casanova or spendthrift. The man needs to be serious about this conjugal life and work for his family. After marriage, the top-most priority should be for the wife. As a parent, you need to affirm that the guy has that conviction.

Stability of income: It doesn’t matter if he does a job or runs his own business, the inflow of money should be steady. Parents sweat their lives out to give their daughter everything and it will be painful and often disturbing to see that she has to live without many facilities or resources. Yes, she sure can compromise and adjust to the new setup. She can be understanding to the core and support her husband in his endeavors to bring joy to the family. But overall, the man needs to have a stable income and from a proper source. Parents have every right to know about his profession or business.

Family setup: If you have brought up your daughter in a nuclear family, chances are that she will be a fish out of pond in a joint family. No, you’re not complaining here. Just make sure that the man treats her well and safeguards her in the new house. In shadi.com, you will find many avenues.

Unconditional love: Well, that’s just a foregone conclusion. The guy needs to shun all inhibitions and allow your daughter to flourish in her life.

If your daughter aims for a career in some field, ensure that her man supports it.

Kerala – God’s own country! A place, known for its beauty, lovely sand and rocky beaches, spices and the lovely hills of Munnar. This beauty that nature has bestowed to his place makes it one of the most popular and favourite destination amongst tourist and destination wedding seekers. A place rich in culture and tradition, Kerala is one of the most favourite upcoming destination amongst people who want to get married and make their day of marriage the most memorable one of their life.  This trend of having destination weddings is becoming popular even amongst the local Malayali population. Off lat Kerala matrimonial alliances are taking place in exotic destinations, within Kerala itself. Amongst all other destinations within Kerala, the one that takes the cake is Kovalam beaches. Situated merely 18 KMs from the capital, Thiruvananthapuram, this place is an ideal destination for Keralite couples seeking a destination wedding. So if you are enthusiastic to have your nuptials done in Kovalam, follow the given tips:

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Budgeting: finances are of utmost importance when it comes to planning a beach wedding in Kovalam. So set a budget and stick t it. As per you finances, make book venues and resorts to have the most memorable wedding ever.

Selective guests: the main idea behind having a destination wedding is to have a memorable time, surrounded by the people closest to you. Carefully design your guest list and confirm with your guests their availability for the function. Only as per that make your bookings.

Hire a wedding planner: As you are coming to Kovalam from another city, it makes perfect sense to hire a good wedding planner. As Kovalam is a popular destination amongst many for weddings, there are good and reliable wedding planners who get the job done. They are in contact with the local vendors and dealers like caterers, decorators, florists etc. hence, all the wedding preparations are taken care of smoothly, with you getting ample time to enjoy your wedding.

Select a good venue: Kovalam has a lot of venues to offer when it comes to weddings. From the high end Leela and Taj to certain pocket friendly ones, Kovalam has it all. Book a venue as per you comfort and choice, but make sure to do it well in advance, and they tend to be overbooked during tourist season.

Plan an itinerary: Kovalam offers a large variety of adventure sports like surfing, snorkelling, para-sailing etc. Do indulge to make it an awesome experience. Plan excursions and trips for your family when you get free time from all the wedding hustle bustle.

A wedding by the beach: the whole idea behind having a destination wedding in Kovalam is to make the most of its beautiful beaches. So make sure that if you are planning a destination wedding in Kovalam, then it should be by the beach. Request the wedding planner to organise all the décor and wedding set-up on the beach itself. It surely would look like a scene right out of fairytale.

With these given tips, you are sure to have the most memorable wedding at Kovalam. All the best!

As much as you’d like it to be, a marriage ceremony isn’t all about the bride. The girl’s better half, the groom is just as significant and you need to pay a little attention to the man of the day too. In Telugu Matrimony and in any other wedding, the groom is also a very crucial part of the show, if not the heart of the event. So, you need to some time to do his shopping and get the dress that suits him the most. You will find some guys who hate a shopping overdose. The idea is to make life easy for would-be grooms. Spend some time scouring some of the best menswear brands and labels across the board and finalize a particular list of your favorites pertaining to the engagement and wedding outfit.

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When the idea is to render a modern touch to traditional Telegu groom dress, make sure you got the right selection and the right colors. It doesn’t matter if you’re going to wed in an exotic locale like Tusca or Seychelles, when its Telegu marriage ceremonies and culture, the color and vibe would remain the same.

Those velvet collars: One of the most popular choices for Telegu grooms in the current era is the silk, digital print, waist coat. The colors can be jaded green, teal blue and crystal red. A velvet collar quilts the neckline. The biggest clincher about this outfit is that it’s somber, silent yet gorgeous and celebratory. It looks awesome when paired with Jodhpuri patterned pants.

The zardosi element: If your bride shows a penchant for designer saris, you could give her good company in the gold and peach zardosi and aari embroidered, classis kurta set. It’s very traditional yet modern attire.

The engagement couture: If you want to wear a classic Sherwani or Indian suit, the colors can be royal blue, teal orange or cherry. Pair it with white or cream colored pajamas and mojaris. You can also deck your garment with a chain and watch. It’s best if these items are in gold or silver. The idea is to showcase some radiance.

Blending some western style: Some grooms in Telugu Matrimony are opting for a very unique in their reception bashes. The garment comprises stunning velvet and related appliqué work. It instantly creates a European-English charm and makes your look very modern amidst that traditional blanket. The attire carries an astounding self style and pattern. It will ensure that you stand out from the crowd.

Opulence of Sherwani: The quintessential favorite of Indian grooms in today’s times, you can go for an opulent sherwani that showcases breathtaking patterns. These are all hand-embroidered. The Zarilane dress gives you churidaar pants with catch side slits. The sherwani has the slits to make a great fit. You can go for any style as per your structure.

You will also find people pairing the Sherwani with dhoti style pants. That’s the rage nowadays. It has a mandarin collar comprising a creamy, gray brocade or black dhoti. It’s a royal serving and piece from the best couturiers of India.

Marriage is considered to be the most sacred and holiest even of all in a person’s life. It is considered to be the pious union of two souls who are in love and want to spend the rest of their lives together, which is blessed by love and comfort. There is no doubt that love is the very root and foundation of a strong and long lasting relationship. However, when we start thinking on practical lines, life is not a bed of roses, especially married life. it gets along with it a baggage of responsibilities, that you need to fulfil in order to be happy and satisfied. This can only be achieved it your financial status is strong and stabilized before marriage. Most of the profiles on various matrimonial sites specifically mention that they are looking for matches with a sturdy job or a thriving career prospects. Hence, in order to lead a happy, smooth and comfortable life before marriage, it is a must for every prospective couple to discuss their finances and future planning based on the same. Following are the finance related things that a couple should make a point to discuss before taking the plunge:

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The job or business status: before talking about anything else, make sure to discuss the present job or business standing yourself as well as your better half. It is important to do so, as it actually makes your financial status as a couple crystal clear. Make sure to ask you would-be his present position and designation in his or her job and where they see themselves after 10 years. This will give you both an idea about your goals in life and the finances that you will have in hand for reaching the same.

The current financial position: as a couple, make it a point to discuss your current financial position. Discuss with your better half his in-hand salary, savings, FD’s as well as job benefits and tell him or her your current financial status truthfully as well. This will help you in allocating the money and dividing expenses, which is much required to run the household smoothly after marriage.

Loan status: make sure to discuss the loan status of your would be before marriage, because loans and paying debts tend to take away a big chunk of your finances away every month, which in turn might make your day to day life difficult. Discuss these loans in term of personal, student, educational, EMI’s etc., and plan your finances well in advance in order to lead a smooth life later.

Future plans: Once you are free discussing the present, it is time to ask about the future plans. Don’t hesitate to ask your partner his future financial plans and how he or she plan to save money for future planning’s like having kids, family extension, educational expenses etc. Discuss insurance and medi-claim policies as well if possible. This pre-planning for the future and savings made for the same will take you a long way.

It is you as a couple who have to take control and run your household after marriage. Hence it is always a good idea to discuss finances as a priority before marriage. All the best!

One of the most notable aspects of Oriya matrimony that you cannot give a miss is the amalgam of minimalism, beauty, piousness and simplicity. You must remember that if there’s any traditional or cultural event that purely upholds the identity, essence or pride of a region or community, it has to be the marriage functions. A typical Oriya wedding exudes so much cultural fervor and colors. While marriage rituals and customs are definitely a great time to enjoy, it’s a remarkable pointer that these weddings don’t contain that showbiz or meretricious thing so to speak. The people don’t go overboard to show extravaganza, grandiosity or pomp.

With that being said, it doesn’t imply that Oriya weddings don’t have their share of raptures, fun-filled moments, merriment and beautiful rituals. They are grand and at times, cross the grandeur of other celebrated marriage functions too. Here are some Oriya wedding rituals that you cannot skip at any cost.

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Starting the proceedings with Nirbandh: The pre-wedding rituals make a grand start with the momentous Nirbandh. It’s the formal announcement of the couple’s engagement. The parents of both the bride and groom are required to take an oath, pledging to marry their kids with one another. Generally, the venue is the bride’s house. Interestingly, the couple themselves doesn’t take part in this event.

Jayee Anukolo ritual: Perhaps one of the most prominent and celebrated aspects of Oriya matrimony, this custom showcases the wedding rituals’ preliminary phase. They quickly follow it with the collective distribution of invitation cards, nimantran patras to be precise. The most splendid aspect about the culture is that the people always send the first card to Lord Jagannath. The place is the revered and sacred Jagannath Dham in Puri. Oriyas consider the deity to be the family pantheon and ruling God of the masses. The second card goes to the maternal uncles of the bride and groom.

Mangan and Jairagogo Anukolo: Elder relatives of the couple bestow their blessings on the bride by putting mangan and turmeric paste on her body and forehead. They appoint seven married women to do this ritual. These seven women are close to the bride. It’s followed by Bengalis and other folds as well. Remember the Sumangalis in Tamil weddings? The bride then takes a ceremonial bath. The main objective is to cleanse the body and beautify it before the actual wedding. The concerned ritual signifies the fire’s stoking right after she takes her ceremonial bath.

Diya Mangula puja: It stands for the mass prayers offered at the Goddess temple. The family’s barber has the responsibility of arranging the entire toe, rings, bangles, wedding articles and sindoor of the would-be bride. He gives the articles to the goddess/devi. The bride seeks her blessings for a happy married life.

Kanyadaan: It marks the onset of the main wedding rituals. The bride’s father gives her hand to the groom, asking him to take an oath that he will always take good care of his daughter.

The borjotri or the entourage of the groom is another remarkable feature.

One of the biggest facets of Oriya wedding that ensure that you shouldn’t miss it is the combined force of simplicity, piousness and minimalism. You need to remember that is there’s anything purely cultural and traditional to uphold the cultural pride, essence or identity of a community or region, it is the marriage ceremonies. A quintessential Oriya matrimony exemplifies this cultural insignia. While marriage traditions and rituals are surely a great time enjoyed, it’s indeed a remarkable thing that Oriya weddings don’t have that opulence or showbiz to be precise. There’s no fire-driven effort to showcase pomp or extravaganza.

However, that doesn’t mean that Oriya weddings are not devoid of blitz and raptures. They are extremely grand and sometimes surpass the grandeur of many other illustrious marriage ceremonies. Here are some things that you can never miss in Oriya weddings.

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Nirbandh to start of the proceedings: The pre-wedding rituals start with Nirbandh, which is the formal proclamation of the engagement of the couple. The respective parents of the bride and groom take an oath, mentioning that they’ll get their kids are marrying one another. The venue is mostly the bride’s house. Interestingly, the couple themselves doesn’t take part in this ritual.

Mangan and Jairagogo Anukolo: Elder relatives bless the bride by applying mangan and turmeric paste on her body and forehead. Seven married women from her close ones to do this ritual. After this, she takes a ceremonial bath. The primary objective is cleansing the body and beautifying before the D-day. The concerned custom stands for the fire’s stoking once she takes the ceremonial bath.

Jayee Anukolo custom: A famous feature of Oriya matrimony, this ritual represents the wedding rituals’ first phase. This is soon followed by the collective distribution of invitation cards or nimantran patras, as you may call it for the scheduled day. The most wonderful aspect about the culture is that the first card is always sent to Lord Jagannath in revered Jagannath Dham in Puri. He is considered to be the family deity and ruling God of the people. The maternal uncles of the bride and groom are given the second card.

Wedding traditions bloom: The main show begins with barajatri. Bengalis have the same albeit different pronunciation. It stands the groom’s regal entrance into the wedding venue with his troop. He’s welcomed by the bride’s mother with a rice tilak and aarti. His entourage is warmly welcomed and taken to the wedding hall with a lot of courtesy and respect.

Diya Mangula puja: It refers to the congregational prayers offered at the Goddess temple. The family’s barber arranges all the toe, wedding articles, rings, bangles and sindoor of the soon-to-be bride to the goddess/devi. They seek her blessings for prosperity and happiness in her married life.

Kanyadaan: This ceremony marks the start of the main wedding rituals. The bride’s father gives her hand to the groom, telling him to take a pledge that he will take good care of his daughter.

The food is always great. You just cannot miss the dal, fish delicacies and the seafood variations.

Orissa or the now called Odisha is state of awesome biodiversity, architecturally marvelous and magnificent temples, abundance of nature and sheer simplicity. The Oriya people’s simplicity is reflected in their austere wedding traditions as well. They are bereft of any ostentatious presentation of status and wealth. The people place immense importance on adherence to their roots and traditions customs. The wedding rituals of their Oriya matrimony are as per the Vedic Hindu rituals. With time, they have undergone modification with layers of cultural and regional practices taking precedence.

Religious devotion essays a crucial role in the life and belief system of Oriya people and it’s wonderfully reflected in their wonderful wedding customs.

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Things that clinch: Oriya people call wedding Bahaghara. You will find Brahmins conduct their weddings during the day and other castes in the state have it during the evening.

Pre-wedding ceremonies: Starting off with Nirbandh, the pre-wedding rituals are Jayee Anukulo, mangan, Barajatri, Mangula Pooja and Baadua Pani Gadhua. Jayee Anukolo is the first ritual where distribute wedding cards to relatives and pals. In the Mangan custom, both the girl and boy will be advised to apply haldi or turmeric paste on their body. Then, they take the holy bath. The next ritual is Diya Mangala Pooja. Here, the bride devotes herself to the Devi matha in any devi temple. The priest in the temple gives her sari, kumkum or sindoor, bangles and toe rings. The bride is required to take a ceremonial bath, which is called Baadua Panu Gadhua in local parlance. The groom enters the wedding venue with his entourage and it’s called Barajatari. That pretty much ends the pre-wedding rituals.

Wedding customs: The wedding customs of Oriya matrimony include Haatha Ghanti and Kanyadan. After the groom enters the center stage, the bride is also welcome to that place. After a short while, they perform the Kanyadan ritual. Then begins the Haatha Ghanti or Saath phere ritual where the couple takes seven rounds around the holy fire. The groom then applies the sindoor on the forehead of the bride and ties the mangalsutra around her neck.

The post-wedding rituals: The most noteworthy ones are Astha Mangala and grihapravesh rituals. They are the same the Bengali ones. In Grihapravesh, the newlywed bride is welcome in her marital house. The bride and her groom both seek blessings of relatives and elders. After this, on the eight day after their marriage ceremony, the couple gets out to visit the bride’s home to visit her parents. This ritual is very important. It’s called Astha Mangala. The bride’s parents and relatives give her a hearty and warm welcome and serve them with traditional and auspicious food items. The culinary items entail ten tasty varieties from traditional rice to ghee.

The little things: There is the Basara Raati or Chauthi that deserves special mention here. On the wedding’s fourth day, a puja is performed at the groom’s home. They roast a coconut there.

They decorate the couple’s room with glowing oil lamp and fragrant flowers. They feed roasted coconut or charu to the couple.

Assessing the specialty aspects of Marriage Horoscope for finding a suitable life partner has never been easy. To ensure that it’s a definite process, you need to do an extensive study of the system of matching kundalis and the marriage rituals that follow it. First, you need to remember what it means and why people are so interested in it. Then only, you can know its vitality or effect in marriage and in conjugal life. There are winds of change and they are challenging the very edifice of this age-old practice, handed down to generations after generations since time immemorial.

In some cases, the horoscopes have matched and showed amazing compatibility, but the marriages have ended in bitter failures. Till date, nobody has been able to unravel the mechanism that propels its success or failure system, but it’s certainly a strong belief system that deserves special mention.

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Subservient to findings: After deciphering out the gunas and doshas, it’s time to cross-check them or bolster the positive points to resist and thwart the negative points. If you have a prismatic view of the same, you will find there’s immense logic in it. The different parameters or aspects of a happy and long married life are measured and estimated as per their significance. The last three points are naturally more pivotal.

Gauging the viability aspects: Kundali matching is relevant and pivotal, not because it’s absolute or bereft of any fault; it has its own set of pitfalls as well. The reason behind its success is that it’s not a hypothesis and entails a strong base. It’s all mathematics and does matter in the long run. Kundali matching is a great form of astrology, blending both science and art in the most organic manner. It was created and developed by wise sages during ancient times and continues to be accurate and reliable till date. Believe it or not, many of the predictions and prophesies made by some of the leading astrologers have come true not only for a lot of people but for the entire world.

The immediate course: While comparing two Marriage Horoscopes, if they fetch 18 points or the score is below half, then it’s mostly not regarded as suitable or viable enough for that marriage. Now, if you are serious and determined to culminate the relationship into marriage, already and are committed to it, you can find various rituals to thwart the negative points and bad energies from the kundali.

Checking the attributes: While comparing the horoscope of a probable bride and bridegroom, you need to consider certain specific points. The first is Varna or development of ego. It’s denoted by number 1. Next you’ve Vashya, which stands for mutual attraction and is denoted by number 2. Tara comes next, which stands for well-being and health. Number 3 is the referral number here. Yoni is denoted 4 and includes biological compatibility and natural human attraction. There’s graha mantra sitting at number Number 5, which stands for spiritual level and parameters of intelligence. It’s very necessary for marriage. Gan stands for temperament and is denoted by number 6.

Uttarakand or the ‘dev-bhoomi’ of India is predominantly blanketed by mountains and rolling hills with the mighty Himalayas in the north and the Kumaoni and Garhwali ethnic communities in other flanks, making up the cultural vibrancy, richness and beauty of this wonderful state. Since the people live in the hills and mountains, their attire and dressing style is also influenced by or developed out or conditioned by the climatic conditions of the place. It’s reasonably warm. When we talk of Euttaranchal Matrimonial, it’s invariably about Garhwali or Kumaoni weddings of the noted ethnic communities in this region.

Although the various rituals and rites preceding a marriage ceremony and the ones during and after the main wedding are quite tedious and intricate, the wedding ceremonies are very simple in their totality.

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The bride’s aura: Like all other Indian brides, the Uttarakand bride is just a treat to the eye. The traditional bride adorns the typical and exquisite Ghaghra-Pichora. If you don’t know what a pichora is, it’s perhaps the sole portion of the entire bridal garment that looks entirely different from what she wears in other places. It’s actually a rich legacy and vestige that’s been passed on to one generation after another. The Pichora entails serious importance and purport in a Euttaranchal Matrimonial. It’s much similar to a khara dupatta worn by a Hyderabadi bride.

The charm of Pichora: The beautiful garment is traditionally made manually or hand-made. It’s dyed and designed with vegetable shades post which; they print the piece by hands. You need to be aware of the scores of duplicate, machine-made pichoras invading and flooding the market these days. The garment has two colors originally, saffron and red. Hindus consider these colors auspicious and they are revered in Indian culture as being auspicious. Red stands for conjugal life and energy while saffron stands for all the worldly and holy elements. The amalgam of these two hues brings good luck and charm to the couple.

The women’s style: The traditional Garhwali or Kumaoni bride wears the traditional and opulent ghagri. It’s the skirt-like attire resembling the ghagra that comes with the choli or blouse. The resplendent Pichora is also termed as Rangwali in local parlance. It’s a traditional and mystical veil or odhni that comes embellished with gold and silver tatting. However, besides adorning the ghagri and pichora, you also have the more conventional and traditional Uttarakand bride donning a sari. Many women prefer to wear that.

Accessorizing the bride: To add to this, the big, shinning gold nose ring or the Nath is undisputedly an essential ornament for the bride. She needs to wear the nose ring during her wedding and even after that. It carries the matrimonial vibe, essence and charm. After the marriage ceremonies, the married women needs to wear a ‘Chareu’, which a necklace with black beads. It resembles the mangalsutra and carries the same significance. The name is just different in Garhwali tradition.

You can also find some brides adorning a very costly ornament known as the hansuli. It’s a solid, shinning, and one piece necklace. It’s made in either silver or gold.

Marathi weddings are steeped in tradition with a lot of emphasis given to rites and rituals, though not too much show is made out of the wedding. The weddings are quite, somber and simple with a lot to learn from them. Lets look at what makes a Marathi matrimony a cherished occasion.

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Venue- Usually, Marathi weddings are held in marriage halls that cater to the needs of the wedding. They have some rooms for guests to stay, a priest to perform the rituals, food arrangements along with someone to do the decor as well. Thus, not too much effort is needed to look into these aspects individually. Also, the cost comes down drastically.

Simple Decor- Usually the maximum expenditure in the wedding is on the venue and thereafter, the decor. However, in Marathi weddings decor is kept to the basic with most of the decor done with flowers and drapes. A stage is built for the rituals with a mandap, which is ornate without having to spend too much time, money and effort on it.

Pre Wedding Ceremonies- In Marathi weddings there is no concept of cocktails and sangeet or even an elaborate mehendi ceremony. The only pre wedding ceremony that takes place is the engagement and a pooja just a day prior to the wedding. Thus, the expenditure factor is reduced drastically.

Delicious Food- Any Marathi wedding will dole out some of the most delicious food. It is usually a traditional fare with all the lip smacking food items being made from pooris, batata vadaa to shrikhand and puran poli. There are no live counters or multi cuisine stalls. There is a sit down lunch or dinner with typically Maharashtrian food being served. It is simple but delicious.

Elegant Bride- A Marathi bride is symbol of beauty and grace adorned in a maharashtrian yellow saree and traditional jewelry. She epitomizes elegance to the hilt. There is no over-the-top jewelry or heavily embellished attire. In fact there is minimal makeup as well but still she look like a diva from heaven.

Handsome Groom- The groom is also simply clad in the traditional attire of dhoti and kurta. He does not adorn much jewelry, just a simple ring or a chain around the neck.

A Marathi matrimony in its true sense is the simplest and the best way to be wedded as more emphasis is laid on rituals and less on the paraphernalia surrounding it. There is a lot one can learn from these weddings and imbibe in our own weddings.

Weddings are celebrated in India and Maharashtra is no exception to this. A Marathi matrimony is full of festivities, fun and rituals. There are pujas to be performed, and ceremonies to be followed and so on. Though most of the ceremonies are similar, there is a slight difference as we move across different regions in Maharashtra. Let us take a look at the wedding rituals typical to a Marathi Brahmin Wedding.

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Sakharpuda : Prior to the actual wedding, an engagement ceremony or sakharpuda is held. This is more like a formal announcement to the family and dear ones that there is a wedding on cards. Generally, it is performed at home, where the boy and girl exchange rings and sweets are distributed followed by a sumptuous meal. However, if the guests are larger in numbers, a venue is hired.

Kelvan :  The bride and groom, both have Kelvan  celebrations in their respective houses. A lavish Marathi meal is prepared and the feast is enjoyed by family and friends.

Vyahibhojan : The groom’s family invites the bride’s family for celebration. The bride’s family is treated with a tasty Marathi food platter; the groom’ mom gives gifts to the bride, her parents and siblings.  The bride and her family are the guest of honor in Vyahibhojan.

Grahamak : This puja is performed by the bride and groom’s family both in their respective homes. A holy fire is lit and priests pray for the couple and bless them for a long and happy married life.

Munja : When a Brahmin boy turns 8 years old, there is a munja or thread ceremony performed. In case, it wasn’t performed then, it is conducted before the wedding ceremony. This ceremony involves seeking the blessings of priests and elders to conduct sacred pujas.

Rukhwat : In every Brahmin wedding, you will observe a table kept in a corner. This table is decorated with flowers, art pieces on so forth. This is where the bride’s art work is displayed for everyone to see. Along with that, the bride’s mother also places 5 bottles with different sweets to take along with her. Apart from that, it also features tasty sweets and other savories.

Sunmukh:  After the bride and groom exchange garlands, the next ceremony is sunmukh. In this ritual, the bride sits on the lap of the groom’s mother. The mother in law sees the face of the bride in a mirror, while the father in law feeds her a spoonful of sugar. This symbolizes that the mother in law and father in law will treat her like their own daughter.

Suvasini Owalni : After the wedding ceremony takes place, five married women perform aarti of the newly –weds and shower them with blessings for a happy married life.

Rituals, traditions and ceremonies are held to ensure that both the families are comfortable and get acquainted with each other. Each ceremony symbolizes the holy matrimony of the bride and groom .

Like all other Hindu weddings in India or abroad, a Bengali wedding is compartmentalized into three definite categories. These are pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding rituals. While the first two take away chunk of the flare and glare, the post-wedding stuff is no less interesting. When we speak of Bengali Matrimony, people mainly drool over the bride’s costume, clothes, and look. Food is of course a grand chapter in any Bengali wedding. However, the rituals have their special significance and to a traveler or non-Bengali attending a Bong wedding, they can leave you captivated. The variety, colors, themes, noises and tones are too beautiful and lively.

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The post-wedding rituals begin just after sindoor daan and ghomta from the main course.

Basar Ghar: Perhaps one of the most fascinating episodes of Bengali Matrimony is the basar ghar. On the wedding night, after the guests and attendees have left the venue, the couple along with some young members from the extended family and friends occupies a good room and revel. They have non-stop fun, chat, sing and dance and make merry. The Basar ghar episode is special as people arrange other food and drinks to set the scene. It’s a time of joy and merriment. It is a process wherein the couple and the others just loosen up in each other’s presence, helping each other to bond.

Bashi biye: Set right in the order, bashi biye is ceremoniously performed on the morning right after the wedding. This ceremony is restricted strictly to the close relatives of the couple. A priest comes to perform some invocations and pujas and ends the set with a lunch.

Bidaay with Bodhu baran: A very touching ceremony, biday is when the bride laves her parents’ home with a heavy heart, treading forward to move in with her husband and in-laws. As she departs, the bride throws back fistfuls of plain rice backwards and keeps doing so without looking back. This is a gesture that shows she is trying to repay her family’s debt for bringing her up. Now, the newly-wed couple enters the groom’s house in a car. The mother waits at the doorway and receives them. She washes the tyre’s of the car and ushers the lakhsmi of the house in. This beautiful part of Bengali Matrimony is called bodhu boron. They take an imprint of her foot on white cloth utilizing red lac dye. Later on, they play fun games, watched by family, close friends and neighbors. These people egg on the couple to win at any cost. The couple is the competitors in this entire episode and everything happens in jest.

Kalratri: The bride spends her first night at her in-laws’ home. The groom and bride sleep in separate rooms on that very night out a strong faith borrowed from a folklore or fable. There is a saying that if they sleep together on that very first night, then the conjugal life will not be that peaceful.

After this, you have reception and bou bhaat, followed by phool shojja. The family then performs satyanarayan puja at home for peace and harmony.

While writing the diary of a Bengali Bride you ought to mention all those things which make her special and there are a lot of things which enhances the passion and ardour of the occasion. Right from the first day of the occasion to the final day when the bride walks into the household of her in-laws, the memories are stark and even the trivial incidents remain in the mind as clear memories. Eating on the banana leaf, applying the same haldi on the bride which arrives from the household of the groom and the big fish which is sent to the either households which is decorated with sindoor, there is a lot that can be included in this diary. It is downright perfect and combined with it are the little mistakes which make the occasion beautiful and the bride lives with it for the rest of her life.

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Putting the mukut: The mukut or the headdress is one of those things which specializes a Bengali wedding. The bride must put it on in the morning during the nandimukh ceremony and again when she dresses up like a bride in the evening. It is so authentic about this wedding that no one can forget it. It is artistically designed and has strings on both ends which is tied on the front portion of the forehead.

Sankha and pola: This is the universal red and white bangles that a bride must wear on the day of the wedding and apply alta on the legs near the ankle and surrounding the toenails. In the traditional days, the girl used to apply it on the palms as well but now the bride has switched to the option of mehendi which is more convenient and the designs look beautiful.

Applying chandan on forehead: with the application of chandan on the forehead, the appearance of the every girl changes drastically but this is largely for the evening makeup. Nowadays, the makeup artists prefer applying a combination of white and red paint as small and subtle designs on the forehead.

Sari with zari: For a Bengali Bride, the sari has to be banarasi and none of the brides are willing to make changes and tweaks in this. Although the intensity of the sari can differ and the work of zari can be little or more, it is another aspect of a Bengali wedding which has run for years.

Jewellery for the bride: When it comes to the jewellery of the bride, one traditional piece combined with modern can bring the change you want.

Tatta and food: Both of them are integral part of a Bengali wedding and the former is about the exchange of gifts that takes place between the two families. When it comes to food, it combines a lot of traditional dishes with a hint of modern and everything is planned days ahead of the wedding. While special care has to be taken to choose the gifts for the elders, the food must include the authentic Bengali dishes.

For the diary of a new Bengali bride, there is no end to the celebrations and penning the lines does not seem to stop. This is a truly spirited illustration of the bride’s diary with a list of memories that form a part of the occasions which take place during a wedding.