Punjabi Traditions That Make the Big Fat Indian Wedding Full of Fun, Love and Warmth

Punjabi weddings are replete with small ceremonies, good food and even better music. They set a tone of love and warmth with these small and big pre-wedding Punjabi tradition which we cannot help but love every step along the way. Each ceremony is full of tradition and symbolism of the past while invoking God and expressing gratitude.

Punjabi traditions are one of the most fun, giving their weddings an edge in terms of getting the party started with the closest families and friends gathered under one roof to celebrate love. We love each of these pre-wedding Punjabi traditions owing to their significance and warmth.

1. Roka 

We all know about the Roka, this Punjabi tradition is the first in the series leading to the wedding. It is a small ceremony where the groom's family visits the bride's house bearing gifts and blessings to formally mark the match. The families then gather together to be showered by gifts also known as sagan. Nowadays, in Punjabi tradition one joint ceremony is conducted where both the families join hands officially and embark on the journey towards the couple's big day! This Roka ceremony begins with a puja to seek blessings for this journey.

2. Showering the bride with gifts 

In the series of Punjabi tradition, one inherently Punjabi ceremony is the Chunni ceremony. The groom's family gather to meet the bride's family with gifts including a red outfit, it can be a saree, a red wedding lehenga or anything, and a chunni. Alongside numerous other gifts, including sweets and jewellery pieces,  they also give the bride the Mehndi to be applied on her hand and feet before the big day. These gifts from the groom's mother is a sign of acceptance into the family.

3. A Mouli for blessings

During the first ritual before the wedding, in Punjabi tradition, a priest ties Mouli or a sacred thread on the wrists of both the bride and groom at their homes to ward off any evil eye and attract only good-luck. The couple has to wear this until it wears down on its own.

4. Chura Chadhana

One Punjabi tradition that most of us are vaguely familiar with and often associate Punjabi brides with is the Chura Chadhana ceremony. During this intimate ceremony, the bride's Mama and his wife gift her a set of 21 bangles. These bangles are blessed by elders and cleaned in a milk and rose solution. Traditionally ivory and red in colour, brides now even get bangles in different colours like pink and purple.

The Mama helps the bride wear these bangles as her face is covered at the moment. During this Punjabi tradition, the bride is not allowed to look at the bangles. A shower of flower petals blesses the bride as she adorns the set. Abiding by Punjabi tradition, we often see brides wearing this set of Chura for a minimum of 30 days going all the way up to 2 years.

5. The fun-jabi tradition 

In the next ceremony, the bride's sisters and friends gather to tie Punjabi Kalire to the bride's newly added Chura set. In Punjabi tradition, these umbrella shaped Kalire signify fertility and prosperity for the newlywed couple. In the following move, the bride vigorously shakes the Kalire over unmarried girls who stand below it. On whosoever any part Kalire falls, it is believed she will get married next. We still remember Sonam Kapoor's fun-filled ceremony where she shook the Kalire over Jhanvi Kapoor's head. It is like the Punjabi equivalent of the Christian bouquet throwing ceremony.

6. And it was all yellow! 

The morning of the wedding, the bride and groom are lathered in a paste of turmeric, sandalwood, rosewater and mustard oil by friends and family as to bless the couple. Apart from Haldi's beauty properties, the bride sits facing diyas in this Punjabi tradition to invoke radiance and light in her future. The Haldi ceremony is full of fun, laughter and love.

7. Ghara Ghardoli

Almost moments after the Punjabi tradition of Haldi ceremony once the bride scrubs off the Haldi along with her friends and family she goes to a temple. Here, a pitcher of holy water is poured on her following which she prays and seeks the god's blessings for the big day.  This Ghara Ghardoli is also a ceremony for the boy where his sister-in-law pours water on him before he goes to get ready for the wedding.

8. Gearing up for the wedding! 

We all know the fairytale and in accordance with Punjabi tradition, prince charming comes riding down on a white horse to get married. But before he can get onto the mare, there is a small Punjabi tradition where the Ghodi too gets a makeover of its own where it is also given food and water by the women of the house known as Ghodi Sajana. After this small custom, the groom rides to the venue along with his grand Baraat. Nowadays, grooms do decide to ride down on fancy cars which too receives the royal treatment.

All of these small and big ceremonies add to intricacies and details of  Punjabi traditions making it so special and unique. Punjabi weddings are not just about the glamour, colour and fun. It is all about these Punjabi traditions which bring two families closer together as the bride and groom embark on their journey together. From seeking God's blessings to the latest Bollywood songs and even the best of food, Punjabi wedding traditions have it all! 

Which of the pre-wedding Punjabi tradition was your favourite? Let us know in the comments below.