Varmala& The Story Behind It
Hindu wedding breathes with ceremonies and rituals. One trail of events precede the main wedding and another follows it! It all begins with families meeting and deciding on a date for engagement. And from here a quest for choosing the perfect card begins and does not stop until the most agreed upon is selected for the wedding. The wedding itself brings in a number of rituals some of whom are light hearted and fun whereas others are loaded with emotions.
However,when it comes to fun there is one custom that takes the cake- Varmala! From ancient times the ceremony of Varmala has been followed. However, over a period of time it has become a happy and light-hearted ritual. Varmala refers to the custom where bride and groom exchange flower garlands. Ones the baraat is received, the groom is invited on to the stage. This is where the bride also joins him with a garland. As the bride tries to put the garland around groom’s neck, groom either stretches himself or his friends lift him so that she is not able to accomplish her mission!
But then comes the entire retinue of the bride to help her out and they lift her until she reaches and finally puts the garland on her fiancé’s neck. This entire ceremony is filled with joyful laughter and lot of teasing. It also helps in breaking ice between the guests of both sides. The significance of garlanding comes from our history where girls were allowed to choose their husband from amongst many suitors who would turn up at a given day and time. Flowers in a garland symbolise love, beauty, passion, happiness and excitement all of which is secured by a strong thread- something that is needed in a marriage as well!
In some cultures, an auspicious time is taken out for Varmala ceremony as well. In fact most of the mention this ceremony along with other important wedding ceremonies. We at KOC help you put together your entire wedding and related events in your chosen . Your rituals are far too many? Don’t worry, we provide and encourage the insertion of extra leaflets so nothing important goes missing!