Indian Sikhs Wedding

Slide 2 :An Indian Sikh Wedding It took place in Chandigar & New Dehli First day: Welcome party for familly & friends Second day: Engagement ( civil ceremony ) at midday, reception´party at night, given by the familly of the bride. Third day: Religious ceremony and lunch party at midday. Later that day: The bride gets out of her familly Forth day: Farewell party at a hotel in New Dehli


Slide 3 :The beginning: The mother in law puts a “bindi” on the front of the bride meaning that she is from now a married woman. The bride is dressed with the sari that her future mother in law weared years ago in the same ceremony. .


Slide 4 :Then, the more intimate members of the familly & friends congratulate the new couple given them presents. They go 3 times round the couple with a velvet cushion in their hands. On it laid the presents ( like jewells, saries ) or money & checks ( inside a blue envelope) End of the civil ceremony, the ploto sesion begins, after it a lunch is served.


Slide 5 :A party is given by the bridegroom´parents, the bride is the only one not to be present. Thats why she can´t see her fiance until the religious ceremony that will take place the following morning.


Slide 6 :Following old tradition the briidegroom appears riding a white horse with his familly & friends round him, singing & dancing.


Slide 7 :His had a tourbant from which hang pearls and golden threads, in his hand he has a sword. In that way he make the entrance to the party.


Slide 8 :He goes through a flowers arch, waiting to welkome him is his bride familly. Men of each familly wear a diffferent turban´colour, light pink , the bride familly, purple the bridegroom´s.


Slide 10 :Women & men waiting separated


Slide 13 :The religious ceremony was presided by a priest, siting at the front, behind a dais, were the Sacred Book is placed.


Slide 14 :The floor was covered with white silk and nards hang giving the air that special smell.


Slide 15 :As ussual, women and men were appart, they ( the women) barefoot with a scarf covering their heads.


Slide 17 :The bridegroom appears first and sits down on a cushion to wait for the bride. There is music played softly.


Slide 19 :Entrance of the bride with her bridesmaids.


Slide 20 :First the bride goes alone round the dais one time, on each angle of it there is a man to scort her to the next corner. While doing it, the priest recited reading the pages of the Sacred Book which slide down, falling from the dais to the floor. Finally the couple goes three times round the Sacred book, laid on the dais.


Slide 21 :During the ceremony, this man offers each one of the presents a napkin over which was a sweet substance that he served from the bowl he has on his left hand and that we have to eat. Its an old tradition used at the culmination of ceremonies & celebration . Its a way of participation.


Slide 22 :Finally married, begin the photo sesion.


Slide 23 :At the wedding party the music was perfomed by a militar band


Slide 29 :Final bride´departure from her family´s house


Slide 30 :She was to be carried alone in a wooden palanquin, hidden by a curtain of flowers from her husband & familly.


Slide 32 :Thats the way she goes from her familly´house to the car that is waiting for the couple to carry them to…married life


Slide 34 :To be at this wedding was like a dream to me. I enjoyed the ceremonies , dancing at the parties, the fabulous meals… , the colours, the smells, the people, it was unforgetable. Year 2003 Photos: taken with an analogical camera By Maria mocampos@gmail.com