Introduction to Kashmiri Weddings

In Kashmir's breathtaking valleys, a wedding is a festival of tradition and splendour. The bride and groom are carefully adorned in traditional clothing and loaded out in lots of shining gold jewellery at Kashmiri weddings, which are stunning. Kashmiris take pride in their rituals, decorations, and cuisine, as well as other traditions. Kashmiri weddings last many days and feature extensive pre-wedding rituals as well as customary post-wedding practices. Authentic Kashmiri songs and performances, which are lively and joyful at Kashmiri pandit weddings, are performed during the event. Let's examine the essential elements of a typical Kashmiri wedding.

Kashmir is not only a stunning setting but also an area with such a rich cultural history, being encircled by the gorgeous Himalayan valley. In the midst of its rich heritage and cultural heritage, the Kashmiri Pandit marriage is nothing less than a glorious dream realised. It is made up of a number of magnetic elements that begin with their pre-wedding customs and end with the wedding ceremony.

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What are the beautiful customs and rituals of a Kashmiri wedding?

Kashmiri Pandits facilitated marriages with the consent of both families. Several factors, including the family traits and socio religious considerations, are considered before they are designated the newly proposed couple. In addition, the horoscopes of a girl and a boy coincide with the last names of the bride and the groom. When the horoscopes and their zodiac markers align, the families come to an agreement regarding the upcoming wedding. After further debate, the groom's family accepts the bride's family's recommended date. The pandit ji then confirms the suitable time . Once these preparations are complete, the wedding can begin.

What are the pre-wedding rituals of a Kashmiri wedding?

As a result, in Kashmiri tradition, the term 'Kasam Dry' refers to the ceremonial engagement process. When the families formally approve the relationship, the zodiac charts automatically sync once more.The priest consults the Kashmiri Hindu calendar before announcing a period for the members of the family to gather. As a show of camaraderie and happiness, the families assemble at a memorial and exchange flowers. Afterwards, they conduct rituals inside the temple, and the groom's family members feed the invited guests a traditional Kashmiri vegetarian lunch. The bride and groom's aunt prepares and serves family and guests the traditional rice porridge known as Var. Inside this preceding, the bride's family presents pots, cash, and fresh fruit as gifts.

Therefore here are some of the pre-wedding rituals that one should be aware of:

  • Kasam Dry:The Kasandry ritual signifies the official marriage celebration in Kashmiri culture. As soon as the families have permitted the union and the zodiac charts have been synchronised. After reviewing the Kashmiri Hindu calendars, the priest specifies a time for the family members to assemble. To symbolise goodwill and celebration, the families come together at a shrine and exchange flowers. After everyone has performed communal prayer in the shrine, the bride's family offers the visitors a customary vegetarian lunch. The bride and groom's aunt prepares a traditional rice pudding known as Var, which is meant to be enjoyed with family and guests. In the days that follow, the bride's family presents a pot, dried fruits, cash, and fruits.
  • The term 'LIVUN,' which refers to the ceremonial cleaning of the residence, is used by both the wedding couple families. During the Livun ritual, the groom and bride hold multiple groups. A lucky day prior to the wedding is chosen by the pandit, and on that particular day, the married women from both the families gather together to assist one another.
  • In Kashmir, mud buildings were cleansed and polished, and their flooring was covered in mud. Gifts and Mementos are presented to friends and family as a token of appreciation. On this particular day, the wuvi, a cement block stove, is prepared in the courtyard and the household cook, known as the Waza, appears. Every marriage celebration needs to be made in the wuvi.
  • The house must be decorated with fresh flowers as part of the Krool Khanun custom. The overall effect is colourful and infuses the space with a very upbeat energy.
  • Wanvun - Beginning the evening of the Livun and continuing through the dawn of the marriage ceremony, guests congregate at the residences of the bride and groom and raise the energy level with dance and music. While giving the guests ceremonial midday or sheer cha, a salty rose tea, the women sing traditional Kashmiri folk songs and ceremony ballads.
  • The bride engages in a thorough purification ceremony the day prior to the marriage called maenziraat. The bride's hands and feet are washed by her mother's sister. The bride then gets elaborate and intricate patterns drawn on her feet and her hands by applying henna paste after taking a bath. Several close family members put henna-design on her arms and feet as well. The Waza then serves these women a delicious lunch that she has made. Mehendi is now performed at the home of the bridegroom, but in a less amount.
  • In the days preceding the wedding, the bride's family is required to present 51 plates or platters full of sweets, dry fruits, fruit and vegetables, and other foods to the home of the bridegroom.
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What is the significance of the wedding attire of a Kashmiri wedding?

The traditional attire or Kashmiri groom outfit carried by Kashmiri grooms is called the Pheran, that resemble a lengthy kurta. A Pheran is a piece of clothing made of pashmina which has been laced around the waist with golden strands, or zarbaft. On the groom's forehead, a male guardian places a turban known as a Goldstar. They must don traditional Paazar footwear and a Kashmiri wedding gown. In particular, a golden piece, pearls, or priceless stone necklace is draped across his neck. He is also wear accessories. The end result is beautiful and appealingThe bridal gown, also known as the Kashmiri bridal dress, is colorful, luxurious, and somewhat glittering. Usually, the bride wears a glitzy rendition of a Pheran, a Punjabi salwar-kameez with a cover attached to the girl's Kashmiri bridal gown. Common colours include red, maroon, and other rusty or orange tints. The Kashmiri Dulhan garment' salwar kameez is intricately embroidered with both the typical Kashmiri thread work and lovely zari work. Here, the bride is displaying a Tarang, an intricate headgear. She also wears a tonne of jewellery. The Hindu bride from Kashmir covers herself up with enormous necklaces, ornate bangles, and bracelets. The Kashmiri bride also wears a distinctive pair of earrings called a tikka.It is made up of two gold pendants with valuable gemstones that hang from a chain that is strung through each ear piercing. The Dejharoo is equivalent to a Mangalsutra in several Indian civilizations. The bride also wears a gorgeous choker along with that.

What are the vital wedding day rituals performed during the Kashmiri wedding?

Here are some of the wedding day rituals that are performed during the Kashmiri wedding rituals:

  • Entry of the Bridegroom - A member from the bride's family rubs the groom's left hand shoulder as he gears up while holding a dish comprising rice and some money. The groom mounts a horse and proceeds with a few additional male relatives carrying a sword, forward towards the bride's house.
  • Groom receives a hearty welcome from the bride's family. The parents of both the bride and the groom distribute spices that signifies their approval of the relationship and their hope for its long-term success. The corresponding answers are made to indicate once the groom will enter the home.
  • Lagan - The Kashmiri term for the nuptials. It follows all accepted Vedic rituals. Prior to the entrance of the bridegroom and the completion of the Kashmiri wedding decorations, the priest conducts a Mandap ceremony and a Dwar puja. The bride is carried by her maternal uncle to the ceremonial mandap. A large mirror is positioned somewhere under the curtains that are placed over the heads of the wedding couple. The couple initially meets one another in their reflections in the lone, large mirror.
  • Posh Puza -The bride and groom are then draped in a scarlet fabric and placed in a chair after these processes. Family and acquaintances surround the newlyweds and give them flowers or presents as the priest chants Vedic mantras. Mantras are recited first to the customary Kashmiri bride, then to the groom, and finally to the couple together. They adore the pair by carrying out all this practice in Kashmiri shadi, receiving the name Posh Puza, meaning flower worship. According to Kashmiri traditions, the bride and the groom are both seen as the manifestations of Mahadev and Goddess Parvati.

What post-wedding rituals do the bride and groom follow in a Kashmiri wedding?

  • Initially, Kashmiris correlate the teknis (horoscopes) of the potential bride and husband. While selecting a game, other factors are considered, such as the background, standing, and moral courage of the home of the potential opponent and their close relatives. All of the above and other variables are taken into consideration prior to the partnership's formalisation. The parents of the bride propose the timing. Once a groom's parents give their approval, the purohit (priest) likewise decides the wedding arrangements.
  • In a Kashmiri wedding, the bride and groom typically perform a number of customary post-wedding rituals, including
  • Entertainment and Leisure - Following the wedding celebration, the mother of the bride encourages the newlywed to take part in a number of post-wedding activities, such as searching in a jar of rice for the engagement ring.
  • Prior to departing, the newlyweds are required to sit on a Vyoog, a timber platform, whereas the senior female relative of the bride's parents showers blessings on their head and presents them with three grains of rice. The bride then said goodbye to her family while crying. Finally, she throws a handful of rice over the shoulders in the surroundings of the house and says a prayer for the continued prosperity of her parents' home. With her other hand, she is carrying some additional uncooked rice that she will drop at her husband's entrance door.
  • At the residence of her new husband, the bride is welcomed with wide arms. The couple is given some kahwa. After that a flock of birds is released into the skies to honour the couple.
  • Saatraat - Along with either one or two hippie chicks, the recently wed duo is invited to her parent's house. The pair receives a wonderful lunch and new clothes before going back to the groom's and bride's house.
  • Phirlath - In accordance with the Phirlath custom, the father of the bride goes over to the groom's house and presents the newlyweds with additional gifts. A dinner invitation is extended by one's in-laws.
  • Roth Khabar is conducted on the day following the wedding, whether it takes place on a Weekend or even a Tuesday. The bride's parents deliver a nut-covered, one metre long, 2.5 metre wide cake to the groom's house. The cake-carrier follows the newlywed bride back to her parent's house. The bride's family then designated a person to escort her back to her parental house.

Learn about some of the typical Kashmiri wedding food that is served at Kashmiri weddings:

Kashmiris are unique, and their food, culture, and customs are distinctive as well. For dinner, women from the household and the community are invited. It is prepared in conventional kiln-baked pots called tabche. However, modern Kashmiri Pandit weddings seldom ever often use these pots.

The waza's menu includes the following items:

  • Dum Aalu is a delicious dish prepared with potatoes and spices.
  • In this recipe, chopped lotus roots are cooked alongside milk and curd which is named as Nadru Yakhni
  • Chok wangun: This dish uses spice-cooked brinjal, which has a great bitter-sweet flavour.
  • Large pieces of paneer (cottage cheese), which is the ingredient in this dish, are diced before being spice-cooked.
  • The dish's subdued yellow colour is achieved by cooking paneer in yoghurt and turmeric after being cut into small bits.
  • Nadru hakh is a dish made with sauteed Kashmiri saag and lotus roots cut into particular horizontal pieces (collard greens).

How is the reception ceremony performed at a Kashmiri wedding?

In order to warmly greet the Baraat in a wedding ceremony, the bride's family explodes a conch shell. The couple's fathers exchange jaiphal, or nutmeg, as a sign of the ritual purity of their union and the assurance of a lifelong friendship. The bride must remain seated while the mother of the bride or the eldest female relative performs puja using wheat-flour-based lights. She feeds the bride and groom substandardly. As alms, they give away two rice jars. To the door, the purohit escorts the two people. Before leading the couple to the lagan temple complex, he conducts a quick ritual known as dwar pooja.

In addition to receiving kahwa, visitors also receive a vegetarian supper that could have up to approximately 23 dishes created by the waza. These dishes include specialty delicacies including marchwangan pokore (red pepper pakoras), madur pulao (sweetened pulao), and shufta in contrast to the dishes already mentioned.

Frequently Asked Questions

An illustration of frequently asked questions concerning Kashmiri weddings The Kashmiri name for the nuptials is lagan. It follows all accepted Vedic rituals. A Mandap puja as well as a Dwar puja are performed by the monk well before bridegroom is brought inside. The bride is carried by her maternal uncle to the wedding mandap.
In Kashmir, weddings last three days and they invite hundreds of guests.
Up until the late 1960s, Kashmiri women wore a jewellery on their heads called a taranga, which is pronounced as 'tarng.' Today, the bride is required to wear it as a component of a ritual and as a segment of customary bridal apparel on her head for the wedding day, demonstrating the symbolic importance of dejhoor for a Kashmiri wedding ceremony .
There are a total of seven Pheras. Following the wedding ceremony, a vegetarian feast is served, and the bride and groom must complete it together.
The full pheran may no longer be worn by Kashmiri brides today in favour of a bridal saree or lehenga. The bride also dons a lavish headdress known as a Kasaba. To maintain the headdress's position, large pins and decorations are used, giving off a Kashmiri bride's style. The bride completes her look by placing a handmade dupatta over her head.
In response to questions regarding Kashmiri wedding customs and image. After the wedding ceremony, the bridegroom and his spouse are required to take a seat. Thus In Kashmiri wedding ceremonies, guests surround the couple and repeat Vedic mantras while draping a crimson cloth over their heads and showering them with flowers. It is a way to honour the pair represented by Shiva and Parvati with floral offerings.
The higher portions of the external cartilage of the ears are pierced to receive the dejoor, used as a sign of relationship status worn by married Kashmiri Pandit women.