regional flavour and customs. A Hindu Gujarati wedding will therefore differ in format to a Hindu Punjabi wedding, though they will of course share many common rituals, as per the Vedic ceremony.

The ceremony, described below is the Vedic marriage ceremony in what is believed to be it's purest form. Each ritual is beautiful and represents timeless sentiments and values. The ceremony is performed in the following sequence.

SWAGATAM - VAR YATRA (ARRIVAL OF THE GROOM)
The marriage celebrations commence with the arrival of the groom with his family and friends at the wedding venue. The groom is escorted to the entrance of the wedding venue where his mother in law to be is waiting to welcome him.

The groom seeks the blessings of his mother-in-law for a happy marriage. She in turn, blesses him and performs a small ritual to ward off any evil spirits or bad luck by performing his aarti (Moving a flame in a circular motion in front of his face). She also applies a tilak (red paste mark) on his forehead as a sign of welcome and to bring good luck.

Holding a coconut, the groom then steps forward onto an earthen pitcher crushing it into many pieces. This demonstrates that the groom has the ability, strength and determination to overcome all obstacles that the couple may face in their married life.

MADHUPARKA (HONOURING THE GROOM)
The groom is then led to the wedding 'mandap' or auspicious canopy, under which the wedding ceremony is to take place. To the accompaniment of mantras by the officiating priest the bride's parents welcome and honour the groom by washing his right foot. It is believed that due to the parents prayers, the man that their daughter will marry is an embodiment of Lord Vishnu, and he is honoured as such.

They Bride's father offers him a sweet and nutritious drink called Madhuparka. The offering of Madhuparka is a great honour (traditionally reserved only for the welcoming of God and Guru) and is also meant to be symbolic of the sweetening of relations between the two families.

KANYA AAGMAN (ARRIVAL OF THE BRIDE)
A sheet is then held up in front of the groom's face by his male relatives. This sheet is known as an "antarpaat" or dividing line which signifies the separate lives of the bride and groom which will end with their union.

With the antarpaat in place, the bride (Kanya) is escorted to the mandap by her Mama or maternal uncle. She is seated opposite the groom on the other side of the antarpaat.

The priest blesses the couple with sacred verses and at a prescribed auspicious timing he utters the words "Shubha Mangala Saavadaan'. At this auspicious moment the antarpat is raised and close family members throw rice on the couple. Rice signifies happiness and prosperity for their married life together.

JAI MALA
The couple then garland each other (Jai mala), signifying the union of two bodies and two souls into one entity as well as proclaiming their love and mutual acceptance of each other.

SARVA DEVA POOJAN
The ceremony opens by invoking the blessings of Lord Ganesh, the dispeller of darkness and ignorance and the remover of obstacles. The nine planets, other deities and Kula Devatas (family deities) are invoked and worshipped to bless the couple and ensure that the ceremony is concluded without any obstacles.

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