10 Unique Indian Wedding Traditions

Zee Media Bureau
Nov 27, 2023

Joota Chupai

A playful custom where the bride's sisters hide the groom's shoes during the wedding ceremony, and he must pay a ransom to get them back.

Kaleera Dropping

In Punjabi weddings, kaleeras attached to the bride's bangles are shaken over unmarried girls; catching a piece is seen as a sign that she'll be the next to marry.

Kashi Yatra

The groom pretends to leave for Kashi, indicating a desire for a life of asceticism. The bride's father convinces him to choose the path of householder instead.

Ghudchadai

The groom arrives riding a decorated mare, symbolizing his arrival for the wedding.

Roce Ceremony

A pre-wedding ritual where a mixture of coconut milk and turmeric is applied to the bride and groom for purification.

Aeki Beki

A playful post-wedding game where the newlyweds are given a pot of water with a ring and coins. The one who finds the ring four times is believed to dominate the household.

Baal-Khulai

The bride's hair is traditionally unbraided by her female relatives as a symbol of her marital status.

Harela

The bride's maternal uncle gifts her a saree during the pre-wedding ceremony.

Anand Karaj

The Sikh wedding ceremony involves the reading of hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib, and the couple circumambulates the Guru Granth Sahib.

Mangalasnanam

The couple takes a ceremonial bath before the wedding, symbolizing the purification of body and soul.

VIEW ALL

Read Next Story