When it comes up to Punjabi weddings, Punjabi Indian wedding traditions and wedding Rituals, it was never a one day fare. Be it US, Canada or back home in India, there were days and days of celebrations, of Punjabi wedding rituals, Punjabi wedding traditions for the groom and bride, and traditions customs that families had to undertaking and honor in order to blessed this ‘once in the lifetime’ auspicious event. Start with parental acceptance and informal affirmation to the rishta with the roka ceremony, the list of Punjabi wedding traditions, rituals, and customs and Punjabi/Sikh wedding ceremonies was a longer one.
Shagun Chunni Ceremony
Post a roka ceremony, no blessed event could ever kickstarting without the quintessential Punjabi wedding ritual of shagun ceremony at the Punjabi wedding. The brides-to-be brace themselves at shagun ceremony, when the groom’s family makes the way to her shower both and abode the groom and bride, and with gifts including jewellery, cash, make-up, sweets, and clothes, etc.
Haldi/Maiyan Ceremony
Happy occasions especially Sikh weddings and punjabi wedding events demand a ‘nazarbattu’, an evil eye that wards off false energy for which we celebrated the Punjabi marriage tradition of a Haldi ceremony. Not only is it held to accentuating that glow on the bride with traditional turmeric ‘ubtan’, but this Punjabi wedding ritual marked new beginnings in the bride’s life. Haldi was the symbol of blessing, purity, prosperity and good luck, and the Haldi/Maiyan ceremony was therefore celebrated as the huger event in the Sikh wedding culture.
Mehendi, Sangeet & Jaago
The 3 very significant Punjabi wedding rituals. Now there was the reason why these three were clubbed in Punjabi weddings these days – first, it’s a lot of fun, and second, in the fast paced world, where while we wanted to follow Punjabi wedding rituals and traditions, time was the huge constraint. In Punjabi weddings, these Punjabi wedding rituals spread over the weekend generally, with the sangeet and mehendi taken place earlier evening and the musical early procession kickstarten late night.
Choora Ceremony
One of the sentimental Sikh Punjabi wedding ritual and key highlights of the Punjabi weddings was the choora ceremony, and it was conducted a day before the wedding by the bride’s maternal uncle who bring up the choora (red and white/ivory colored bangles) in the chuda box for the auspicious and bride new beginnings. One of old Punjabi wedding traditions, the choora ceremony symbolised new beginnings in the bride’s life.
The Wedding Day
At the Gurudwara, Ah, the D-day, and it was the day filled with Punjabi wedding ritual after ritual in the Punjabi weddings. Punjabi Sikhism weddings started with Punjabi wedding ritual of tying of gaana before left the sweet home on the groom’s and bride wrist. Once at the Gurudwara, the bride’s side welcoming ribbon cutting ceremony and the baraat with milnis, and a bit of negotiating between the groom bride’s relatives and over ‘payment to pass this threshold’. In Punjabi weddings, as the Punjabi wedding ritual and Sikh tradition, sisters were also gifted gold/silver rings signify kaleechari during this timeline.
Conclusion
Punjabi weddings were the vibrant blend of joyful, love, and traditions celebrations, unitened families through meaningful rituals. From the the lively jaago nights and sacred Anand Karaj and emotional choora ceremony, each tradition holds up deepened significance. Whether celebrated in India, Canada, or the US, these timeless customs connecting Punjabi communities across the globe.