Maharashtrian Wedding Rituals - A Guide to the Marathi Lagna
Marathi wedding rituals in order: sakharpuda, devak, halad, seemant pujan, antarpat and mangalashtak, kanyadan, saptapadi, varat and griha pravesh.
Vivah Swapn Team
A traditional Maharashtrian wedding (lagna) runs in a familiar order: sakharpuda to fix the match, then devak and halad at each home, seemant pujan on the wedding eve, and on the day itself the antarpat and mangalashtak, kanyadan, mangalsutra, the fire rites with lajahoma and saptapadi, and finally the varat and griha pravesh at the groom's home. The core of the ceremony fits into a morning. The order and the details differ by region, community, Vedic tradition and family, so treat this as the common outline and ask your own gurujis how your family does it.
Before the wedding day
Sakharpuda. The engagement. The two families exchange sugar and gifts, the bride usually receives a saree and ornaments, and the match becomes public. In many families the wedding date is announced here. Our guide to sakharpuda customs covers it in detail.
Kelvan. In the weeks before the wedding, relatives and friends invite the bride or groom, often with the family, for a special meal. A popular bride or groom can be invited out many times over.
Devak. A day or two before the wedding, each family installs its devak at home, often on the morning of the halad. In Maratha, Kunbi and several other families this is the clan emblem, such as a branch of a particular tree, and it is worshipped and kept in place until the wedding is over, when it is formally taken down. The ritual is also called devkarya or devdevak. Our post on gotra and devak explains why families ask about it at match time.
Halad. Turmeric paste is applied to the bride and groom at their own homes. In many families the turmeric is first applied to the groom and what is left is sent to the bride's house. It is one of the loudest, happiest parts of the wedding.
Seemant pujan. On the wedding eve, the bride's family receives the groom and his party. The name comes from seema, the boundary: the welcome was once given at the edge of the bride's village. Today it usually happens at the entrance of the hall, where the bride's parents wash the groom's feet, apply tilak and welcome the guests.
On the wedding day
Gaurihar puja. Before the ceremony the bride worships Gauri-Har, Parvati and Shiva, asking for a happy married life. In many families she wears a yellow saree for this, often given by her maternal uncle, and her mama later brings her to the mandap. Meanwhile the groom's side performs its own pujas, beginning with Ganesh.
Antarpat and mangalashtak. This is the moment most guests wait for. Bride and groom stand facing each other, separated by the antarpat, a cloth held up between them, often with a swastika drawn on it. Both wear mundavalya, strings of pearls or flowers tied across the forehead. The gurujis and family sing the mangalashtak, verses of blessing that each end with "shubh mangal savdhan", and the guests shower akshata at the end of every verse. After the last verse the antarpat is lowered, the couple sees each other and they garland each other.
Kanyadan. The bride's parents give their daughter in marriage. It is a short rite and, for most families, the most emotional one.
Mangalsutra. The groom ties the mangalsutra, the black-bead necklace that a Marathi married woman wears. In most ceremonies this follows the kanyadan, though gurujis order the rites around it differently.
Vivah homa and lajahoma. The couple sits before the sacred fire for the homa. In the lajahoma the bride's brother pours lahya (puffed rice) into her hands, which she offers to the fire with the groom. In many families the brother also gives the groom's ear a twist, kan pilne, a joking warning to look after his sister.
Saptapadi. Bride and groom take seven steps together before the fire, one vow for each step. In many Marathi ceremonies the bride steps on seven small heaps of rice in turn, guided by the groom. Under Section 7(2) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, where the ceremonies include saptapadi, the marriage becomes complete and binding when the seventh step is taken.
A note on the order. In many Maharashtrian ceremonies the lajahoma comes before the saptapadi, so the seven steps close the rite. Other paddhatis, especially outside Maharashtra, place the lajahoma after it. The order depends on your family's Vedic tradition and your gurujis, and neither is wrong.
Karmasamapti. The concluding rite. The gurujis close the ceremony and the couple seeks the blessings of the elders.
After the ceremony
Sunmukh. The groom's mother looks at her new daughter-in-law's face, often in a mirror, and gives her a gift such as a saree or ornament.
Pathavani. The bride's send-off from her parents' family. It is short and tearful, and it is the bride's family's moment.
Varat. In Maharashtra the varat is the procession that takes the newly married couple to the groom's home after the wedding, with music and, in many places, a decorated car or a horse. This differs from the North Indian baraat, where the groom's party arrives for the wedding.
Griha pravesh. At the groom's door the bride tips over a measure (maap) of rice placed on the threshold with her right foot and steps in. The couple is welcomed with aarti, and in many families the bride then plays small games with the groom's relatives.
Naav theva and ukhane. Some families still give the bride a new first name chosen by the groom, though many now skip it. Almost everyone keeps the ukhane, the rhyming couplets in which the bride and groom take each other's names, often in front of a delighted crowd.
Satyanarayan puja, gondhal and the kuldaivat visit. A Satyanarayan puja at the groom's home within a few days is very common. Many families also hold a gondhal or jagran for the family deity, and take the couple to the groom's kuldaivat. Our guide to kuldaivat explains how families find and observe theirs.
The wedding meal
A Marathi wedding lunch is served after the ceremony. The traditional spread includes varan-bhaat, masale bhaat, a sweet such as jilebi or shrikhand-puri, and seasonal vegetables, with plenty of local variation. Our Marathi wedding food guide sets out the menu.
What varies from wedding to wedding
The outline above is common across Maharashtra, but almost every detail changes from family to family:
- Region. Konkan, Desh, Marathwada, Vidarbha and Khandesh weddings differ in songs, food, dress and the smaller rituals.
- Community. Maratha, Brahmin, CKP, Agri-Koli, Dhangar and other families each keep their own customs, and some, such as devak, belong to particular communities.
- Vedic tradition and gurujis. The precise order of the fire rites follows the family's paddhati.
- Time and budget. Many urban weddings now fit halad, the wedding and the reception into one or two days, and some families do a simple registered wedding with a short religious ceremony.
None of these versions is more correct than another. Agree on the details with the other family a few weeks ahead, not on the morning of the wedding.
Frequently asked questions
What is the antarpat in a Marathi wedding? The antarpat is a cloth held between the bride and groom while the mangalashtak are sung. It is lowered after the last verse, when the couple sees each other and exchanges garlands.
What is the difference between varat and pathavani? Pathavani is the bride's send-off from her parents' family. Varat, in Maharashtra, is the procession that takes the married couple to the groom's home afterwards.
Is saptapadi necessary for a Hindu marriage to be legal? The Hindu Marriage Act allows a marriage to be solemnised by the customary rites of either party. Where those rites include saptapadi, the marriage is complete when the seventh step is taken. Registering the marriage afterwards gives you the certificate you will need; see our guide to marriage registration in Maharashtra.
How long does a traditional Marathi wedding take? The main ceremony, from antarpat to karmasamapti, usually takes two to three hours. With devak, halad, seemant pujan and the post-wedding rites, the whole sequence typically spreads over two or three days.
What does a Marathi bride wear? Many brides wear a nauvari or a paithani, often a yellow saree for the gaurihar puja, with green bangles, the mundavalya and traditional jewellery. Our nauvari saree guide has more.
Read next
- Sakharpuda - the Marathi engagement
- Gotra and devak explained
- Kuldaivat - finding your family deity
- Wedding planning checklist
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