SIGNIFICANCE OF HINDU WEDDING
Today the Entire world is mesmerized by Hindu weddings,
that’s why right from Hollywood celebrities to many Prominent personalities
have come all the way to India to get married according to the Hindu faith. So
what is it about Hindu marriages that have managed to capture the interest of
the entire world? Well, there are many things that are unique about Hindu
marriages in India; the style and fanfare that surround a typical Hindu wedding
are just exceptional, together with the colourful and glitzy wedding attires of
the bride, groom and guests.
COLOURS
Among the union of colours in any typical Hindu wedding;
it’s the Red colour that dominates them all. It would not be wrong to say that
typical Hindu weddings boasts bouquet of colours, where the red color plays an
instrumental role. There would be no need to elaborate the significance of the
red color in an auspicious ceremony like a wedding. Traditional Hindu brides
wear red color as it is said to symbolize as the colour of Suhag. With red
henna on her hands and sealed with the pinch of red powder sindoor on her red,
she arrives as a married woman. It signifies passion too.
TILAK AND BINDI
Associated with the Goddess Shakti, it is said to drive away
evil and therefore its liberal use on an auspicious occasion like wedding.
Right from the Tilak applied on the groom's forehead, to the bangles on her
wrists, to the Alta applied on her palms and feet, to her Bindi the list is
just endless.
The Tilak and Bindi are similar but not synonymous as the
Tilak has to do with the third eye of Lord Shiva, one of the most revered
Indian Gods and part of Trinity. However its customary significance is that of
the all-seeing, all-pervading power that protects the inner wisdom of those
that it’s applied on.
Tilak is always applied with paste or powder and Bindi may
be paste, a sticker or even jewellery and can signify marriage or be simply for
decorative purposes. The Bindi in particular is symbol of feminine energy and
supposed to protect both the wife and the husband.
Other than red, there are many other colors that play an
integral role in a Hindu wedding setting. Saffron is another color that
dominates in a Hindu wedding. Walk into any wedding venue where a traditional
Hindu marriage is scheduled to happen, you will surely notice the liberal use
of saffron colored marigold garlands for decoration. These signify loyalty and
are again considered auspicious. Saffron color also denotes purity. Another
color that dominates the Indian wedding setting is Gold. From the golden embroidery
in the attires worn by the groom/bride to the Gold ornaments without which any
traditional Indian wedding is considered incomplete the golden color rules this
auspicious occasion.
Hindu weddings are indeed thriving with countless colors and
all these colors have their own meanings and significance. Red in India is
considered Holy and is symbolic of a certain time, place and action in one’s
personal life. While castes, beliefs and rituals may differ across religious
sects in India but the overall implications of the colour are universal..
