Land of Contrasts-India Culture (Marriage Event)

It is extremely difficult to describe India because it is almost impossible to generalize due to its diversity and contrasts. While it is advancing very fast in a technology, it has one of the poorest populations in the world. Therefore, what we describe here may vary from place to place. India is the size of a whole continent and each state is like a separate country. What applies in one region may not apply in another. India may be the most colorful and diverse place in the world to be seen on you. The sea surrounding its 3 sides and the physical barrier formed by the Himalayas above have protected the country’s culture from external influences for millennia and have kept it unchanged until today. Today they still eat with their hands, wear traditional saris, turbans, and live by their ancient habits. This has nothing to do with education level or socio-economic class, the same is true for Indian engineers who made the atomic bomb, sent satellites into space, Bollywood celebrities, even princes and princesses. It is a much more interesting place than any other country in the world, even in terms of resistance to this time, but what is even more impressive is that it carries thousands of cultures it contains to the present day without changing. There is probably no country that can compete with India in terms of cultural diversity. It is such a huge country that everything changes from geography to geography, physical appearance, culture, language, cuisine. This offers those who come here the chance to experience hundreds of cultures within a country.

Home to thousands of different cultures, India has interesting and sometimes very strange marriage customs. For example, in some regions, Indian girls are married to dogs when they reach the age of 7. Yes, you didn’t read it wrong! According to their families, the dog would protect their daughter until they reached the right marriage age.

You know, crowded Indian weddings that last for days are very famous. Of course, there are regional differences in wedding traditions, but in general terms: Love marriages are very rare in India. There is a lot of pressure on the male-female relationship, even dating someone before marriage is still taboo. Most of the time, lovers meet secretly, but usually it is not sexual. After all, it’s quite common for both of them to be confronted with other people.

Marriage arranged by families

Even today, most marriages are arranged. Families agree among themselves, then the children meet. If there is no suitable candidate, a newspaper advertisement is given. In these advertisements, the candidate both introduces himself and writes what kind of candidate he is looking for. These ads provide information about salary, occupation, image (especially skin colour), vegetarian/omnivorous, bride price and place of residence. Another option is to consult with neighborhood matchmakers. Those who want to get married in a CV style with a photo also have a file and look at the eligibility from there. Even Indian families who have lived abroad for generations want their children to marry an Indian. For this, they are looking for candidates both in the country they live in and in India. If the families meet and agree, an astrologer is consulted. Candidates’ suitability for Indian astrology is checked. If deemed appropriate, the place and time of the wedding will be determined by the astrologer.

Bride price

Bridesmaids of wealth can be requested in India and hang tight, the girl’s side has to pay the boy’s side! In fact, the tradition started with good wishes; fathers would give their daughters the inheritance to fall into her share and send them to their husband’s house, since their daughters would not return home while they were flying from the nest. But over the years, the tradition has been distorted and evolved as if it were the value given to boys. As such, the sums were ridiculous. Many fathers could not get their daughters married for these reasons. In addition, the wedding expenses are also loaded on the girl’s side. Due to the obsession with the image of the weddings, and the number of guests easily reaching 500 people, the expenses can be very high. There were even families who left their baby girls to die due to these financial burdens brought by the girls. Although the ratio has finally been increased to 9.4 women from 10 men with the studies carried out by the state for a long time, there is still a significant difference.

Wedding

The night before the wedding, a girl-to-girl henna night is held. An artist embroiders henna on the bride’s hand by embroidering Indian motifs. The names of the bride and groom are placed on the motifs of this henna. They believe that the later the henna comes off, the stronger their marriage will be. They also did not allow brides to do business in their husband’s house until their henna was removed. – On the wedding day, the groom comes to the wedding venue, in a white suit and on a white horse, singing songs accompanied by a crowded party, and the girl’s family greets him. – Weddings should be held outside and on the ground. – The 3 most important elements of weddings:  

• A 4-leg gazebo called Mandap. Each foot represents the parents of both parties.
• Sacred fire representing life and a Hindu priest. The wedding takes place when the couple goes around this fire 4 times and the priest symbolically ties the shawls of the bride and groom.
• When the tour is over, they run to their seats because they believe that the first person to sit will have a say in the marriage.