Importance of Engagement Ceremony in Indian Weddings

1.The engagement ceremony in India is a significant occasion which marks the starting of a new life for both girl and boy. This pre-wedding ritual is the time when the would-be-bride and the bridegroom-to-be meet and get acquainted. They come face to face in front of both the families and are formally betrothed to each other by their respective families. As the name suggests, this ritual is performed so as to announce and make the engagement formal between the two families.

2.Commonly known as the sagai, mangni or nischitartham in different parts of India, this crucial ceremony precedes the wedding. Generally, the engagement ceremony is held some months before the wedding. However, in few cases, the engagement ceremony is held a day or two prior to the wedding. This initial ceremony kick starts the coming wedding preparations.

3.This Hindu tradition of ‘Vagdanam’ in fact dates back to the Vedic era. The engagement ceremony implies that the groom’s family is giving their word of honor to the bride’s family that they have accepted their daughter for their son. Besides this, it is a sort of pledge that they will be responsible for the girl’s future wellbeing. On this auspicious day of the engagement ceremony, the families also get an opportunity to know each other’s customs traditions and rituals.

4.Engagement Ceremony: Initial Step towards MarriageDuring the engagement ceremony, the bride spends a lot of time, effort and money in order to create a dazzling and spectacular look. For this, she prefers to wear attractive attire so that she looks attractive. The groom also exhibits the best of social behavior. Engagement ceremony is very special since on this day both the families look forward to celebrating the approaching wedding.

5.Engagement ceremonies occur all over India, although they may differ in nuances and specific features. The engagement ceremony involves a lot of rituals including the exchange of a pair of rings. After the exchange the rings, the groom’s familyalso gifts the bride a traditional piece of beautiful jewelry such as a neck piece or bangles made of diamonds or gold. The bride’s family also gives the groom a gold chain or wristwatch. As the ceremony of exchanging of rings is completed, it is time to seek the blessings of the elders. The youngsters dance to the lively tunes of vibrant music and also pose for pictures. This is generally followed by a lavish lunch or dinner, depending on the time at which the ceremony is held.

6.In addition, the families of the bride and the groom also get together in order to decide and announce the date of the imminent wedding. The formal announcement of the wedding date is done amidst a lot of pomp and show. Earlier the ‘lagna patra’ or the wedding invitation was also drafted amidst hymns and prayers and then the formal announcement of the imminent nuptials is made. After this document is read, the parents of the couple proceed to sign it. This signifies the ‘sealing the deal’ for both the families.