Maharashtrian Marriage Rituals are observed by the Marathi people who basically belong to the region of Maharashtra. A Maharashtrian Wedding takes place in the morning. Traditionally, the most important aspect of a Maharashtrian/Marathi wedding is that the stars of the prospective groom and the bride should match. The Marathi wedding process is described below.

PRE WEDDING MAHARASHTRIAN MARRIAGE RITUALS

Sakhar Puda
As the marriage is fixed, the respective families of the bride and the groom exchange a packet of sugar to informally mark the engagement of the couple

Wang Nischay
Wang Nischay refers to the formal engagement ceremony where a kuldevta-pujan is performed in both the houses after which the families meet up along with a priest.

Haldi Chadawat
During the haldi ceremony, which is usually a day before the wedding, mango leaves that have been immersed in haldi paste are applied from the feet upwards over the whole body of the bride. The groom is also applied the haldi paste in a similar fashion in his own home.

WEDDING DAY MAHARASTRIAN RITUALS

Ganesh Puja
On the morning of the wedding, a puja is offered to Lord Ganesh to seek his blessings for the success of all the following rituals.

Seeman Puja
As the groom's entourage arrives at the wedding venue, a Seeman Puja is performed as a way of welcoming the groom. Afterwards, the parents of the bride wash the groom's feet and shower him with gifts.

Ceremonial Breakfast
Since the wedding entourage usually arrives in the morning, the bride's parents spread out a lavish lavish ceremonial breakfast for them

Gowrihar Puja
As the groom is having breakfast, the bride performs a Gowri-har puja simultaneously

THE MAHARASHTRIAN WEDDING
As the auspicious time for the wedding approaches, the bride is accosted to the mandap by her maternal uncle. The groom and the bride are not supposed to look at each other as the antarpat ceremony takes place where a silk partition is placed between them. Only after the chanting of several specific mantras is the antarpat removed. This is followed wit the guests showering unbroken rice over the couple. The process of kanyadan and saptapadi are similar to those of any Hindu marriage where the father hands over the his daughter to the groom and later the couple take seven rounds or pheras around the ceremonial fire.

POST WEDDING MAHARASHTRAIN MARRIAGE RITUALS

Reception
The reception or the wedding feast takes place in the evening where the guests are served sweets by the newly weds themselves. A peculiar feature is that first the groom's family has lunch and the bride's family

Grihapravesh
As the newly weds proceed towards their new home, the mother of the groom welcomes them on the threshold of the house and washes their feet with water and milk followed by an Aarti after which the bride puts foot in her new home by tipping over a vessel filled with rice.

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