Kannada Wedding

Pre-wedding Rituals

Naandi
Naandi is performed separately at bride as well as groom's house. This is to ensure that the marriage takes place despite any circumstances.

Kaashi Yatre
A very old ritual Kashi Yatre, here the groom pretends to be very angry as nobody is searching for a bride for him. He announcesBrahmacharya. This is when his maternal uncle convinces him and puts forth him the girl that he has chosen for him or would offer his daughter's hand for marriage.

Dev Karya
Traditionally this ritual was performed on the day of arrival of the groom's family to the village. All the goods that were to be exchanged or used in the marriage were placed in front of Lord Ganesha to seek blessings from the Lord. On the same day haldi is applied to the bride as well as the groom in their respective houses. Another ritual is where the Uddin Murth a type of grain is ground. This is considered to be sacred.

Wedding Rituals

The Pujas
On the day of marriage the first ritual that is performed is the Mandap Puja. This is to make the mandap or the hall in which the marriage is to take place, appropriate for an event as sacred as a marriage. The bride's father brings the groom to the mandap and is worshipped in a ceremony called the Var Puja. The bride's parents honour him by washing his feet and offer him a silk dhoti and pitambar, which are to be worn by him. When she is brought in themandap no one is supposed to see her face, so her sister shields her face with a fan of peacock feathers.The bride and groom stand on the either side of a white cloth, which separates them. The bride and the groom garland each other amidst the chanting of mantras. The groom's sister holds a kalash of holy water that contents a coconut, beetle leaves and Kombu Gindi.