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A Hindu wedding, also known as Template:Xlit (विवाह, 
pronunciation (help·info)) in Hindi,[1] Template:Xlit (लग्न) in Marathi, Template:Xlit (बियाह) in Bhojpuri, Maithil Vivah in Maithili, Template:Xlit (বিবাহ) in Bengali, Template:Xlit (ବାହାଘର) or Template:Xlit (ବିବାହ) in Odia, Template:Xlit (திருமணம்) in Tamil, Template:Xlit (పెళ్లి) in Telugu, Template:Xlit (ಮದುವೆ) in Kannada, and Template:Xlit (कल्याणम्, కళ్యాణం; കല്യാണം) in Malayalam and other languages, is the traditional marriage ceremony for Hindus.
The weddings are very colourful, and celebrations may extend for several days and usually a large number of people attend the wedding functions. The bride's and groom's homes—entrance, walls, floor, roof—are sometimes decorated with colors, flowers, lights and other decorations.[2]
The word vivāha originated as a sacred union of two people as per Vedic traditions, i.e. what many call marriage, but based on cosmic laws and advanced ancient practices.[3] Under Vedic Hindu traditions, marriage is viewed as one of the saṁskāras performed during the life of a human being, which are lifelong commitments of one wife and one husband.[3] In India, marriage has been looked upon as having been designed by the cosmos and considered as a "sacred oneness witnessed by fire itself."[4] Hindu families have traditionally been patrilocal.
The Arya Samaj movement popularized the term Vedic wedding among the Hindu expatriates in north during the colonial era, it was however prevalent in south India even before.[5][6][7] The roots of this tradition are found in hymn 10.85 of the Rigveda Shakala samhita, which is also called the "Rigvedic wedding hymn".[8][9]
At each step, promises are made by each to the other.[10] The primary witness of a Hindu marriage is the fire-deity (or the Sacred Fire) Agni, in the presence of family and friends.[11] The ceremony is traditionally conducted entirely or at least partially in Sanskrit, considered by Hindus as the language of holy ceremonies. The local language of the bride and groom may also be used. The rituals are prescribed in the Gruhya sutra composed by various rishis such as Apastamba, Baudhayana and Ashvalayana.
The pre-wedding and post-wedding rituals and celebrations vary by region, preference and the resources of the groom, bride and their families. They can range from one day to multi-day events. Pre-wedding rituals include engagement, which involves vagdana (betrothal) and Lagna-patra (written declaration),[12] and Varyatra— the arrival of the groom's party at the bride's residence, often as a formal procession with dancing and music. The post-wedding ceremonies may include Abhisheka, Anna Prashashana, Aashirvadah, and Grihapravesa – the welcoming of the bride to her new home. The wedding marks the start of the Grhastha (householder) stage of life for the new couple. In India, by law and tradition, no Hindu marriage is binding or complete unless the ritual of seven steps and vows in presence of fire (Saptapadi) is completed by the bride and the groom together.[13] This requirement is under debate, given that several Hindu communities (such as the Nairs of Kerala or Bunts of Tulu Nadu) do not observe these rites.[14] Approximately 90% of marriages in India are still arranged.[15] Despite the rising popularity of love marriages, especially among younger generations, arranged marriages continue to be the predominant method for finding a marriage partner in India.[15]
Institution of marriage
According to the Veda, marriage is a union between a masculine and feminine entity with commitments to pursue Dharma (duty), Artha (earning money and other possessions), Kama (physical and other desires) and Moksha (the eternal liberation) in unison. Scripturally, it is viewed as a celebration of sensual pleasure, progress, prosperity and joy as it is also a pyramid of elevation to the next level of one's Karmic experience. Society recognizes this and puts in place quality controls since it influences the social and cultural growth of society. According to Manusmriti, or Manu's text, there are eight different types of marriages. Not all eight are approved by Scriptures. The last four were not advocated and the last one was condemned. These are: Brahma marriage, Daiva marriage, Arsha marriage, Prajapatya marriage, Gandharva marriage, Asura marriage, Rakshasa marriage[16], and Paishacha marriage.
Samskara
Cosmic rituals constitute an important part of Vedic practices/the Hindu religion. Rituals were designed to build a solid foundation for Dharmic living. They are known as Samskaras. Their purpose is to spread awareness and uplift social consciousness. The Veda has instituted sixteen different Samskara meant for different phases of life from conception to marriage to old age and death. The word samskara in Sanskrit means 'to cause indelible impressions on consciousness and to develop every aspect of oneself.' Out of the sixteen Samskaras in The Scripture, and consequently in Hinduism, the sacred practice of marriage or Vivaha Samskara is the most important and marks a milestone in journey of life. Vivaha Samskara influences the life of a couple as partners by enabling them to take their rightful place as creators in society.
Key rituals
There is no single standard Hindu marriage ceremony. Regional variation is prevalent in the sequence of rituals comprising the ceremony. There is also considerable flexibility within each ritual. Variation reflects family traditions, local traditions, resources of the families and other factors. Three key rituals predominate, as follows.[10][17][18][19] Two are yajna.[11]
- Kanyadana – the giving away of his daughter by the father.
- Panigrahana – a ritual in presence of fire, where the groom takes the bride's hand as a sign of their union and a vow to care and protect her.
- Saptapadi – the crucial ritual. The term means 'seven steps', with each step corresponding (in the Long Form) to a pair of vows: groom to the bride, and bride to groom. The vows are pronounced in Sanskrit; sometimes also[clarification needed] in the native or regional language of the couple. (For the Short Form see below.) Like Panigrahana, Saptapadi is performed in presence of fire, and in many weddings, after each of their seven oaths to each other, the groom and bride perform the ritual of agnipradakshinam: walking around the fire, with hands linked or with the ends of their garments tied together. The groom usually leads the bride in the walk for first few Pheras —circumambulatem around the consecrated fire, then the bride leads the groom in the rest.[20] [clarification needed] Fire is the divine witness (to the marriage),[11] and after Saptapadi the couple are considered husband and wife.
Kanyadana
The Kanyadana ceremony is performed by the bride's father.[21] If the father has died, a guardian of the bride's choosing performs the ritual. The father brings the daughter, then takes the bride's hand and places it in the groom's. This marks the beginning of the ceremony of giving away the bride. The groom accepts the bride's hand, while the kama-sukta (hymn to love) is pronounced, in the presence of the father, the bride and the groom. The Kamasukta verse is:[21]
Who offered this maiden? to whom is she offered?
Kama (the god of love) gave her to me, that I may love her
Love is the giver, love is the acceptor
Enter thou, the bride, the ocean of love
With love then, I receive thee
May she remain thine, thine own, O God of love
Verily, thou art, prosperity itself
May the heaven bestow thee, may the earth receive thee
After this ritual recital, the father asks the groom to not fail the bride in his pursuit of dharma (moral and lawful life), artha (wealth) and kama (love). The groom promises to the bride's father that he shall never fail her in his pursuit of dharma, artha and kama.[22] The groom repeats the promise three times.
Classical Hindu legal texts (Dharmashastras), such as the Manusmriti, explicitly prohibit bride price (kanya-shulka)[23] and classify marriages involving monetary payment (such as Mahr ritual in Islam) as a sinful asura marriage. It prescribes gratuitous giving as the ideal form of marriage.
Historical evidence suggests these scriptural ideals were actively enforced in practice. For instance, stone inscriptions from 1425 CE in the Vijayanagara Empire record that regional Brahmin communities held an assembly to combat the spread of bride price. Citing sacred laws, they enacted a binding community agreement (samaya) mandating that marriages be conducted strictly through kanyadana without monetary exchange, making violators subject to royal fines and social excommunication.[25]
This repeated promise by the groom marks the end of the kanyadaan ritual in the Hindu wedding.
Panigrahana
The ritual of Panigrahana comes after Kanyadana. It is sometimes preceded by the vivaha-homa rite, wherein a symbolic fire is lit by the groom to mark the start of a new household.[21][26]
Panigrahana is the 'holding the hand' ritual[10] as a symbol of the bride and groom's impending marital union, with the groom acknowledging a responsibility to four deities: Bhaga signifying wealth, Aryama signifying heavens/milky way, Savita signifying radiance/new beginning, and Purandhi signifying wisdom. The groom faces west, and while the bride sits in front of him, with her face to the east, he holds her hand while the following Rig vedic mantra is recited:[12][21]
I take thy hand in mine, yearning for happiness
I ask thee, to live with me, as thy husband
Till both of us, with age, grow old
Know this, as I declare, that the Gods
Bhaga, Aryama, Savita and Purandhi, have bestowed thy person, upon me
that I may fulfill, my Dharmas of the householder, with thee
This I am, That art thou
The Sāman I, the Ŗc thou
The Heavens I, the Earth thou
In Punjabi and Gujarati weddings this step is called Hast-Milan (literally, "meeting of hands"). The whole ceremony[clarification needed] was[clarification needed] timed around an auspicious time (Muhurat) for this step and a few decades ago the wedding invitation would even list the time when this event was going to take place.
Saptapadi – short form
The Saptapadi (Sanskrit "seven steps"/"seven feet"; sometimes called Saat Phere: "seven rounds"[27]) is the most important ritual of Vedic Hindu weddings, and represents the legal element of the Hindu marriage ceremony.[28] The couple conduct seven circuits of the Holy Fire (Agni), which is considered a witness to the vows they make to each other.[29] In some regions, a piece of clothing or sashes worn by the bride and groom are tied together for this ritual. Elsewhere, the groom holds the bride's right hand in his own right hand.[29] Each circuit of the consecrated fire is led by either the bride or the groom, varying by community and region. Usually, the bride leads the groom in the first circuit. In North India, the first six circuits are led by the bride,
- ↑ Sanskrit English Dictionary, entry for vivaha. Germany: University of Koeln.
- ↑ Yee, A. (2008 May 17) Sari nights and henna parties. The Financial Times.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Vedic Hindu Vivaah". www.godmandir.com. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
- ↑ "Hindu History - Monogamy (Dwanda Vivaha) and the Worship of the Mother Godesses". www.hindubooks.org. Retrieved 14 March 2025.
- ↑ A. N. Raina (1978), A Shortened Arya-Hindu Vedic Wedding and Initiation Ritual by Suniti Kumar Chatterji, Indian Literature, Vol. 21, No. 1 (January–February 1978), pp. 115-117
- ↑ Erika Buckley (2006), A Cross-Cultural Study of Weddings through Media and Ritual: Analyzing Indian and North American Weddings, McNair Scholars Journal, Volume 10, Issue 1, page 14
- ↑ R. N. Dandekar (1975), A DECADE OF VEDIC STUDIES IN INDIA AND ABROAD, Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Vol. 56, No. 1/4 (1975), pp. 1-25
- ↑ Arthur Anthony Macdonell (1898). Vedic Mythology. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 35. ISBN 978-81-208-1113-3.
- ↑ Frits Staal; Cherumukku Vaidikan Somayajipad; M. Itti Ravi Nambudiri (1983). Agni : the Vedic ritual of the fire altar. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-1660-2.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Lochtefeld, J.G. (2001). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A–M, p. 427. ISBN 978-0823931798.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Bajpai, S. (2011). The History of India - From Ancient to Modern Times, pp. 4, 73–74. Hawaii: Himalayan Academy Publications, ISBN 978-1-934145-38-8.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Pandey, R. (1969). Hindu Saṁskāras: Socio-religious Study of the Hindu Sacraments, see Chapter VIII, pp. 153–233. ISBN 978-8120803961.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedthmagoi - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedmenski2001 - ↑ 15.0 15.1 Hoiberg, Dale; Ramchandani, Indu (2000). Students' Britannica India. New Delhi: Encyclopaedia Britannica (India). ISBN 0-85229-760-2. OCLC 45086947.
... It was widely expected that the custom of "arranged marriage," so called, would decline as India modernized and as an individualistic ethos took root ... vast majority (over 90%) of marriages in all communities ... surprisingly robust ...
- ↑ Journal, IJLLR (17 November 2024). "The Eight Types Of Marriages In Hinduism". IJLLR Journal. Retrieved 27 March 2026.
- ↑ Kane, V. (1962). History of Dharmasastra.
- ↑ Roy, R. (2004). Saptapadi – The Seven Steps. University of Canterbury, UK: Ph.D. Thesis.
- ↑ "The Essential Guide to Hindu Weddings: Wedding Traditions". The Big Fat Indian Wedding. 30 March 2014.
- ↑ Sharma, A. (1985). Marriage in the Hindu religious tradition. Journal of Ecumenical Studies, 22 (1), 69–80.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 Prabhu, P.H. (2011). Hindu Social Organization, pp. 164–165. ISBN 978-8171542062.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedkanew - ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (3 September 2016). "Asuravivaha, Āsuravivāha, Asura-vivaha: 2 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Archived from the original on 23 November 2022. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
- ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (29 October 2016). "Manusmriti Verse 3.51 [Rules Regarding Marriage]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 3 September 2026.
- ↑ Mahalingam, T.V. Administration and Social Life under Vijayanagar. University of Madras. pp. 255–256.
- ↑ Williams, M.M. (1893). Indian wisdom; or, Examples of the religious, philosophical, and ethical doctrines of the Hindus. London: Luzac & Co.
- ↑ Office of the Registrar General, Government of India. (1962). On Hindu wedding rituals, v. 20, pt. 6, no. 2. New Delhi, India: Manager of Publications, Government of India.
- ↑ Prinja, N. (2009 August 24). Hinduism & Weddings. London, UK: BBC News.
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Sinha, S.K. (2008), Basics of Hinduism, Unicorn Books, ISBN 978-81-7806-155-9,
The two make the holy vow in the presence of Agni ... In the first four rounds, the bride leads and the groom follows, and in the final three, the groom leads and the bride follows. While walking around the fire, the bride places her right palm on the groom's right palm and the bride's brother pours some unhusked rice or barley into their hands and they offer it to the fire ...
.