Maharashtrian weddings involve many ceremonies and traditions passed down from generation to generation. Each ceremony performed in a Maharashtrian Indian wedding has an important reason, believed to bond the bride and groom together for life.

The process begins by matching the bride and groom’s horoscopes. If their horoscopes match perfectly, then a suitable date is fixed for the marathi wedding and other ceremonies. PavitraVivah.com, a marathi matrimony site also offers a free online horoscope matching service.

Few rituals followed in maharashtrian weddings are similar to South Indian wedding traditions like Saptapadhi and Kanyadaan:

Ganpati Puja, Devdevak and Gurihar Puja

The wedding day commences with the worship of Lord Ganpati, the remover of obstacles. Matri Puja in wedding marks the beginning of all auspicious rituals, ensuring blessings for a bright future of the couple. In the wedding mandap, the family deity is invited by performing the Devdevak. In Gurihar Puja, the bride dresses up and prays to Goddess Parvati for a happy married life. The bride’s uncle gives her some rice, which she offers to the Goddess as part of the ceremony.

Punyavachan and Seemant Pujan

In the ritual of punyavachan in marathi wedding, the bride’s parents bring her to the venue and seek blessings from everyone. The punyavachan ritual symbolizes purity and positive beginnings. The Seemant Pujan is performed when the groom’s family arrives at the venue. The bride’s mother washes groom’s feet, applies tilak, and the families exchange gifts.

Antarpat

When the groom sits in the mandap, a curtain called Antarpat is placed between him and the bride to prevent them from seeing each other until the auspicious moment.

Sankalp

The bride enters the mandap as the priest chants Mangalashtaka (sacred vows). During this time, the Antarpat is removed and the couple sees each other for the first time. They exchange varmalas (garlands) while guests shower them with Akshata (rice), symbolizing blessings for their new journey.

Kanyadan

The most emotional moment of the marathi wedding is ‘Kanayadan’. The father of the bride gives away his daughter to the groom with heartfelt blessings. After the groom ties the mangalsutra and applies sindoor, the bride puts chandan teeka on the groom’s forehead. completing the sacred exchange of promises.

Lajahoma

A holy fire is lit in the mandap, and the bride offers rice grains into it while the priest chants sacred mantras. The groom joins her in chanting, and during the fourth mantra, the bride recites silently to herself. The couple is then revered as incarnations of Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi, and a turmeric thread is tied on their wrists.

Saptapadhi

In this crucial step of a Maharashtrian Indian wedding, the couple takes seven sacred rounds around the holy fire. After each round, the bride touches seven areca nuts (suparis). These seven steps represent seven vows of lifelong commitment and mutual support.

Karmasampati Ritual

In this Maharashtrian ritual, the newlyweds perform Laxmi Pujan. The groom gives his bride a new name as a part of tradition. The bride’s brother playfully twists the groom’s ear to remind him of his duties toward his sister. The couple then seeks blessings from elders to start their married life.

Every community has its own unique wedding traditions, but Maharashtrian wedding rituals hold a special place for their simplicity and cultural depth. PavitraVivah.com, one of Mumbai’s leading Marathi matrimonial sites, brings you this glimpse into the timeless beauty of these customs. Stay tuned for our next post on post-wedding rituals and celebrations.