Gujarat is a devotedly varied state. The people of this state follow several religions such as Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism and Zoroastrianism. Hinduism is main religion and Muslims are the principal alternative in the state. The Zoroastrians are recognized as Parsi and Irani. Like all other states of India, Gujarat is also occupied by people of different religions, castes and creeds.

Faiths and Beliefs

Gujarat has chief multicultural religious belief system. People of Gujarat are god fearing, forthcoming and superior natured. They live in concord and respect each other’s faith and beliefs.

Rituals Performed in Gujarat

The Gujarati wedding is fairly dissimilar from other regions in the country. The Gujarati cooking is a chief magnetism during the wedding ceremony.

Wedding Attire

The Gujarati wedding clothing for the bride and groom are plenty proof of the cultural pride. The Gujarati saree style is pretty dissimilar from rest of the country. There are two types of Gujarati sarees - the Panetar, a white sari with red bandhini edge and the Gharchola that is a conventional red bandhini sari crisscrossed with wicker gold squares and encircling bandhini motifs. The groom had to wear dhoti kurta for the D-day. But nowadays, many favor the western clothes or Indo Western wears for the particular day.

Pre Wedding Rituals – In Gujarat there are numerous rituals that are pursued before wedding such as:-

Sagaai

This is an engagement service at the groom's house, where the bride and her relatives present sweets and gifts to the groom and his family. All elders congregated for the occasion so that they can bless the new couple.

Mehndi

The Mehndi observance of Gujaratis are quite complicated as relatives and friends get together for the occasion and mehndi is applied to the bride and groom both.

Pithi

In this ritual, both the bride and groom are cleansed with the turmeric paste well before the wedding in order to infuse a healthy glow for the wedding day.

Garba

This dance ceremony is enjoyed by friends and relatives and all guests boogie with the dandiya sticks in pairs.

Wedding Rituals

The Gujaratis have numerous rituals and traditions that they stick during their marriages.

Ponkvu

This sacrament is alarmed with welcoming the groom and his family members at the wedding place. His mother-in-law welcomes him with an arathi and tries to clutch his nose at the entry of the hall.

Jaimala

In this service the bride and the groom exchanges their garlands.

Madhuparka

In this ceremony, the bride's family members wash the groom's foot and look for his hand for the bride. The groom is also served with milk and honey during this occasion.

Kanya Daan

Kanya Daan is considered as the most significant of the wedding rituals, as the bride's father washes the feet of the groom and fuses his daughter with the groom.

Mangalpheras

The Mangal Pheras are referred to the blessings of Agni. After Hasta Milap the couples are made to walk around the holy fire.

Saubhagyavati Bhava

This ceremony wishes fortune and pleasure for the newly married couple.

Post Wedding Rituals

The Post marriage ceremony begins with the Vidai of the bride from her home and culminates with the reception of the bride at the groom's place.

Vidaai

The vidaai marks the outlet of the bride from her parental house and her arrival at the groom's family. It also marks the commencement of a novel life with new people and relations.

Ghar Ni Laxmi

The groom's family welcomes the bride to her new home. The bride is considered as Goddess Lakshmi as Goddess Laxmi brings riches and superior luck to the family.

Aeki Beki

This is a small pastime that is played in the groom's house, where several coins and a ring are plunges in a vessel overflowing with water and colored with the sindoor. The bride and the groom are asked to engage in recreation and whoever finds the ring in a greatest number of occasions is considered as the champion and leader of the house.

Reception

This is the formal opening of the bride to the groom's family and relatives. Here the bride is accorded with a grand welcome is introduced to each of her relatives.