Marathi Wedding Rituals in Order, Sakharpuda to Grihapravesh

A Marathi wedding (lagna) follows this order: sakharpuda (engagement) and kelvan before the wedding, then halad and devdevak a day or two before. On the wedding day come seemant pujan, Gauri Har puja, the antarpat and mangalashtak at the muhurat, kanyadaan, mangalsutra, kankan bandhan and saptapadi. Varat, grihapravesh and the naav badalne end it.

The best-known moment is the antarpat. A cloth is held between the bride and groom while the guests sing the mangalashtak, and it drops at the exact muhurat.

Marathi weddings are usually held in the daytime and are shorter than many North Indian weddings. The core rituals often fit into one day.

A Marathi Wedding at a Glance

Fixing the Alliance

Marathi families usually start with the biodata. A typical Marathi lagnacha biodata carries the gotra, the devak, the kuldevata, the rashi and nakshatra, the nadi and gan, and often a short family background. Our guide to the Maratha biodata format explains the devak and kuldevata lines.

If the patrika (horoscope) matches and the families meet, the date is fixed with the family guruji, and the sakharpuda follows.

Pre-Wedding Rituals

Sakharpuda. The engagement, named after sakhar (sugar). The groom's family gives the bride a saree, jewellery and a cone or packet of sugar, and rings are exchanged. A small puja comes first.

Kelvan. After the engagement, relatives on each side invite the bride's or groom's family for a festive meal. Some families hold several kelvans. It is also how many relatives meet the new in-law family for the first time.

Devdevak. A few days before the wedding, the family installs its devak, the family emblem or deity, at home and prays to the kuldevata. In many Maratha families, once the devak is installed, no other function or mourning is held at home until the wedding is over.

Halad chadavne. On the day before the wedding, married women apply turmeric to the bride and the groom at their own homes. In many families the groom's haldi is done first and the leftover is sent to the bride.

Wedding-Day Rituals in Order

1. Seemant pujan. The bride's mother washes the groom's feet and the bride's family honours him with gifts when the groom's party arrives. Some families do this on the evening before.
2. Gauri Har puja. The bride, in a yellow nauvari saree given by her mama (maternal uncle), sits before a small idol of Gauri and Shiva and offers rice grains, praying for a happy married life.
3. Antarpat. The bride and groom stand facing each other, separated by a silk cloth, often with a swastik drawn on it.
4. Mangalashtak. The priest and guests sing the mangalashtak, eight verses of blessing. Each verse ends with "shubh mangal saavdhan", and guests throw akshata (coloured rice) on the couple.
5. At the exact muhurat, the antarpat is pulled away. The bride and groom see each other and exchange garlands.
6. Kanyadaan. The bride's parents give her hand to the groom.
7. Mangalsutra bandhan. The groom ties the mangalsutra, usually with two gold vatis (small cups) on black beads.
8. Kankan bandhan. A sacred thread (kankan) is tied on each other's wrists.
9. Saptapadi and laaja hom. The couple take seven steps around the fire, and the bride's brother puts puffed rice in their hands to offer to the fire. Our page on saptapadi meaning explains each step.
10. Karmasampati. The closing puja.

The mangalashtak is the part guests remember. Many families now print or write their own mangalashtak verses, with the couple's names in them.

Post-Wedding Rituals

Rukhwat. The bride's family displays the sweets, snacks and handmade things she and her family have prepared, such as decorated coconuts and embroidered pieces, as gifts for the groom's family. Some families set it up at the wedding venue, others send it along with the bride.

Varat. The bride leaves with the groom's family in the evening. It is a quiet, emotional moment after a loud day.

Grihapravesh. At the groom's home, the bride kicks a kalash of rice over the threshold and enters with her right foot.

Naav badalne. In some families the groom gives the bride a new first name, often by writing it in a plate of rice. Many families no longer do this, or keep only her surname change. It is the bride's decision.

Ukhane. Through the wedding, the bride and groom are asked to say their spouse's name inside a short rhyming couplet called an ukhana. Relatives keep asking until they do.

What the Marathi Bride and Groom Wear

The menu usually has masale bhaat, puran poli, jilebi or shrikhand, varan bhaat, and mattha (spiced buttermilk). Lunch is often served on banana leaves or plates in the hall.

When Does the Marathi Wedding Season Start?

In Maharashtra, many families start the wedding season after Tulsi Vivah, which falls in the Kartik month around November. Weddings are not usually held during Chaturmas, the four months before that. The exact muhurat comes from your guruji, who matches it to the bride's and groom's patrikas. You can look up the year's marriage dates on Drik Panchang and then confirm with him.

A Marathi wedding with these customary rites is valid under Section 7 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. Register it afterwards with the local registrar.

A Few Marathi Words, in Marathi

Our designs can print a Marathi biodata, with the labels in Devanagari. You can make one here.