Types Of Marriages In India

The colour, the festivity, the rituals and the food, make marriage ceremonies in India extra special. People come from all over the world to witness Indian weddings. What makes Indian marriage ceremonies so special is the sheer diversity. The rituals followed in the northern part of India are not the same as in the southern part of India, the east has different kinds of wedding and so does the west. There are different types of marriages in India and it’s this multiplicity that we will focus on in this article.

What is fascinating is India has 28 states and 9 union territories and the marriage ceremony differs in every single state. If we try to get into the nitty gritties of marriage rituals in 37 places in India then we would end up writing nothing short of a thesis here.

When focusing on the types of marriages in India we will get into the details of how each type of marriage is carried out:

1. Hindu Marriage

The Hindu marriage ceremony follows the Vedic rituals and the three main rituals of Kanyadaan, Panigrahana and Saptapadi. are followed. The first means giving away of the bride by the father, second means joining hands of the bride and the groom in front of the fire and third is making seven rounds around the fire.

But not all rituals are followed in every Hindu wedding. Like different communities in Kerala and Tamil Nadu do not have the system of lighting a fire and their weddings usually start off early in the morning and the ceremonies wrap up by noon. In Bengal, some ceremonies like haldi (turmeric ceremony is done in the morning) but the main wedding ceremony happens in the evening according to the auspicious time shown in the Almanac.

North India witnesses the most elaborate wedding ceremonies that take off with the sagai (engagement) and the wedding can go on for days when garlands are exchanged, havan is done and the bride is made to wear the Mangal Sutra.

2. Christian Marriage

Under the Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1872, Christian marriages are performed by a minister or a priest in a church. The beauty of a Christian marriage in India is a bride often chooses to wear the attire of the community she belongs to instead of opting for a gown. So Christian marriages in India see the bride in traditional attires like sarees, mekhlas and traditional sarongs and even the groom often opts for traditional attire along with his best men.

Among the types of marriages in India it is a Christian marriage that is a happy amalgam of Indian and Western cultures. The tradition of the feast, the toast and the bouquet are all followed sprinkled with indigenous traditions.

3. Sikh Marriage

Earlier Sikh marriages were registered under the Hindu Marriage Act but now these are registered under the Punjab Sikh Anand Karaj Marriage Act 2018. The Sikh wedding ceremony is simple. It takes place at the Gurudwara. Before that a ceremony takes place which is called milni where the families of the bride and the groom meet. Then four simple stanzas are recited from their holy text and the bride and groom take pheras around Guru Granth Sahib (Holy Scripture). The bride and the groom wear elaborate traditional attire and amazing food is served at the festivities.

4. Muslim Marriage

A Muslim marriage comes under the purview of Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937. Islamic traditions are followed in a Muslim marriage in India. The bride and the groom could opt for Indian traditional attire but the religious ceremony usually strictly adheres to Islamic rules. The weding ceremony called the Nikah is solemnized by the Maulavi. There is Kanydan in a Muslim wedding too followed by the reading of the Koran and the groom’s proposal and the bride’s acceptance.

5. Parsi Marriage

Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act of 1936 is the law under which Parsi marriages are solemnized and registered. Some of the ceremonies followed in a Parsi marriage are exchange of silver coins between the families of the bride and the groom. It is after this ceremony the wife takes the name of the husband. The ceremonies are carried on for three days prior to the wedding and on the fourth day a wedding procession arrives at the bride’s house where the marriage is solemnized.

After the wedding a couple has to have food from the same dish symbolizing their union.

6.Court Marriage

Inter-caste and inter-faith marriages are a reality of India. Many people who want to avoid the religious rituals opt for court marriage under the Special Marriage Act 1954. The registrar is given a 30 day notice with residential and birth details of the bride and groom. Then on the day fixed they have to be present at the registrar’s office with three witnesses to sign on the legal documents and read the vows.