PUNJABI MARRIAGES

Punjab is perhaps the most colorful state of India. Punjabis are generally known as large-hearted cheerful people and they live their life joyously and vigorously. People out here believe in enjoying every single moment of their lives. No doubt their marriage ceremonies are one big carnival gaieties and jubilation. The culture of Punjab is very rich and the people are so attached to their land that they have still preserved their tradition in it's very original form.They follow a number of rituals and perform music and dance programmes on every evening till the wedding day. The wedding dress for the girl includes a Sharara, which is a long following skirt and blouse and a dupatta to cover the head.The groom wears a Sherwani or a traditional salwar and kurta. But there are no hard and fast rules here.The time for the "pherey" or the actual wedding comes late in the evening. On this occasion, the boy and the girl are made to sit in front of the Guru Granth Sahib, Sikhs' holy book. The brief ceremony of the circumambulation of the Granth Sahib ends with the reading of the ardas, a rousing salutation to the ten gurus of the Sikhs. Bride's father puts a ring on the boy's finger and then he gives his daughter to the boy. This ritual is known as the Kanyadaan. It is after the kanyadaan that the pheras begin. The groom's sister ties the bride's sari to the boy's turban.The bride's chunni has at one of its end a small knot containing meva,chuara,mishri,badam and silver coin.At the time of ongoing marriage the boy's sister-in-laws hide away his shoes in a ritual called Juta Chepai.They ask the boy for money in exchange for the shoes.