Hinduism: Rituals

By: Isabel Edmondson and Jashan Gill

Hindu Wedding Introduction

Differ from region to region in rituals

A wedding is the second and most
significant stage of a person's life called
Grihastha Ashrama (making of a family unit)
It is a ceremony of two compatible people vowing to complete the responsibilities
of a partner after marriage
The rituals tend to take several hours to complete
Dowry is an issue of concern, because it is when the wife/wifes family has to pay a
large sum of money to the husband/husbands family after the wedding (bribery)
It is a large gathering of family and friends that is a very important part of the
hindu culture

First Ritual
Jayamaala - is when the couple
exchanges garlands
(jayamaala) declaring their
acceptance of the relationship.

Second Ritual
Madhu-Parka - is when the
groom is brought to the altar
(mandap) and offered a
welcoming dairy drink of milk,
yogurt, ghee, honey and sugar.

Third Ritual
Gau Daan/ Kanya Pratigrahan is when the grooms mother
gives the bride a necklace called
mangala sootra. Gau Daan
means cow donation, and Kanya
Pratigrahan means daughter
exchange, or in other words, a
gift to the daughter.

Fourth Ritual
Vivaha-homa -is when the
priest called a purohit recites
mantras in sanskrit, while the
couple throws offerings into
the sacred fire, agni, reciting
it is not for me in sanskrit
displaying their selflessness
that is needed for a marriage
to properly function.

Fifth Ritual
Paanigrahan - ceremony of vows

Sixth Ritual
Shilarohan - is when the bride
shows her strength to
overcome obstacles by
stepping over a stone.

Seventh Ritual
Laaja Homa - is when the
bride leads the husband three
times around the sacred fire
and the husband leads the last
time, then the husband put the
sindoor, red mark, on the
parting of the wifes hair
which represents her now
being a married hindu woman.

Eighth Ritual
Sapta-padi - is the legal part of
the wedding, where the couple
recites their seven vows while
taking seven steps, one for each
vow. The vows are for food,
strength, prosperity, wisdom,
progeny, health, and friendship,
and then the matrimonial knot is
tied showing them as being
completely married.

Ninth Ritual
Surya Darshan and Dhruva
Darshan - is when they look at
the sun (surya) for a creative
life and then at the polar star
(dhruva) to remain unshaken
and steadfast in their marriage.

Tenth Ritual
Ashirvada - the blessing from
the elders and the priest. This
marks the end of the marriage.
After this they are off to their
wedding reception.

Arranged or Forced?
Arranged Marriage - type of marriage that is a

Forced Marriage - is when one or both sides of

agreement of spouses from both sides, it is mutual.

The parents/family tend to take control and decide
the best suitors for their child.

the marriage are forced into the eternal tie without

consent. An example would be child marriages,
where young children are forced to marry much
older suitors. Although child marriages are banned,
it is still an issue of concern today.

Baby Rituals Introduction

After the marriage, a prayer, Garbhadhana, as an obligation of the parents duty to

conceive a child
The pregnancy itself is very important as is progresses
Punsavana - during the third month of pregnancy the is done to protect the
physical growth of the child
Simantonnayana - during the seventh month
this is the equivalent of a baby shower, direct
translation is satisfy the cravings of the
pregnant mother. This is important because
Hindus believe that the mental state of the
mother affects the child.

Birth Ceremony
Jatakarma - when the child is
born the family welcomes it by
putting honey in their mouth
and whispering the name of
god in their ear

Other Important Rituals

Namakarna - naming ceremony

Nishkramana - childs first trip outside
Annaprasana - child's first taste of solid food
Karnavedha - ear-piercing, this happens with both sexes
Mundan - first haircut representing the removal of
impurities
Upanayana - Sacred thread ceremony done when they
send the child off to school. The three strands of the
thread represent the child's respecting vows of
knowledge, parents and society.

Works Cited
Information: BBC. "Religions- Hinduism." BBC. BBC, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
Youtube Video: Eastern Elegance 1. "Hindu Wedding Highlights." YouTube. YouTube, 24 June 2009. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
Pictures By Appearance:
Two people holding hands. Digital Image. Huffpost Living Canada. 23 April 2014. Web. 22 March 2016.
Woman placing Jaimala on man. Digital Image. Krishna Photo Mixing Lab. Web. 22 March 2016.
Man feeding another man. Digital Image. Vivaha Vocab. 5 Sep. 2013. Web. 22 March 2016.
Man putting a necklace around a woman. Digital Image. The Big Fat Indian Wedding. 30 March 2014. Web. 22 March 2016.
Man holding plucker towards fire. Digital Image. Party Cruisers Pvt. Ltd.. 21 Jan. 2014. Web. 22 March 2016
Two hands holding container and third on top. Digital Image. Haiku Deck. 19 Nov. 2015. Web. 22 March 2016.
Two feet on a rock. Digital Image. Weddingsonline. 23 Jan. 2013. Web. 22 March 2016.
Woman following man around fire. Digital Image. Flickriver. Web, 22 March 2016.
A sindoor being put on a womans head. Digital Image. Fashion Lady. 15 Aug. 2015. Web. 22 March 2016.
Matrimonial knot tied. Digital Image. Rites of Passage-Marriage. 10 Jan. 2013. Web. 22 March 2016.
Woman using her hands to block the sun. Nepal Advisor. Web. 22 March 2016.
A couple touching elder's feet. Lin & Jirsa. Web. 22 March 2016.
A woman in a sari with four men. Digital Image. XOJane. 21 May 2014. Web. 22 March 2016.
Two hands held together by handcuffs. Digital Image. Think Progress. 16 Aug. 2013. Web. 22 March 2016.
A woman in sari surrounded by other women. Digital Image. India-The Land of Hearts. Web. 22 March 2016.
A man holding a baby. Digital Image. Divine Nepal. 3 Sep. 2015. Web. 22 March 2016.
Young boy performing upanayana ritual. Digital Image. Wikipedia. 6 March 2016. Web. 22 March 2016.