Traditions of Goan Weddings

The act of proposal is the first step in a Goan wedding. The encounter takes place in the early hours of the morning in most of the communities. Some of the wealthy people plan it during the evening hours. In a typical kunbi community the proposal is said poetically at the Goan wedding.

The groom’s family will say to the bride’s family that they have smelt the fragrance of a sweet flower in their garden, so they came forward to ask for it. The girl’s family replies that to the groom’s family saying that they would have come with the fire stick to their house. The reply means that they are in favor of the match.

They will have a long conversation about the do’s and don’ts after the marriage. The gifts which are sealed with the flowers and fruits are distributed to the neighbours.

The sadoo takes place usually a few days before the wedding. It is a ceremony for sewing and cutting the dress. This dress should be worn on the first day after marriage. This dress can be in redor a combination of red and white. All the neighbours and some professional singers are called for this ceremony. The tailor sews the dress when the woman sings in the background. Coconut cake and tea are arranged for the people in this tradition. In the end, the people leave a tip for the tailor about his sewing.

The chuddo is a ceremony which takes place a couple of days before the Goan Wedding. The bangle seller comes home with singing in the background along with the neighbours and friends. The bride wears 15 bangles for each hand where the bracelets are a combination of red and green. The red stands for the married life and the green stands for fertility. According to our tradition, married women have to wear glass bangles after marriage throughout their life.

The groom’s family has a privilege of asking gifts like sweets and bananas, and they are later distributed to the relatives and neighbours. The bride should do fasting on the wedding day. The bride takes the blessing from the immediate neighbours before going to the temple or church. Portonem is a ceremony in which the family of the bride and groom see each other till the border of the village after the marriage party in the Goan wedding.

An imaginary line is drawn across the road with the foot for both the parties. One representative from both the parties to stand for the guardian spirits. The ancestors will seek the protection of the newly married couple and their families.

The bride should wear the dress or the sadoo on the first night, but the bride should not wash the clothing. She should leave in a wash bucket and tie a currency note to it. The tip is given to the first relative who wishes to wash the dress.

Goan wedding Traditions:
It is a fantastic experience to watch the traditions of a Goan wedding. They have many cultures included in the marriage, and each tradition has a unique aspect in the wedding.