Celebration

Wedding customs in Nepal vary among different ethnic groups, places and castes. In Nepal, an arranged marriage, when parents or relatives find out a suitable partner, is common. Most of the Nepalese people believe in a horoscope so parents of both sides consult with an astrologer if the zodiac signs of partners match each other’s. Then the wedding process goes ahead, and the priest chooses the most auspicious day as the wedding day. Usually, the wedding venue is either home or a banquet hall.

Usually people from groom’s side go to the bride’s home for an engagement bringing yogurt, areca nuts, sacred thread, fruit, and other presents like a set of sari, gold necklace or bracelets for the bride. On that very day, bride’s parents invite groom’s parents for the final day of wedding. It is called janai supari in Nepali. Then the bride’s parents put a tika (peeled rice mixed with red vermilion and yogurt) on bride’s and groom’s forehead and put on red flower garland around their neck as well as other guests too.

On the wedding day, the bride usually wears heavy gold jewelries and a red sari and blouse with red sparkling “ghoomto” covering her face and red glass and gold bangles. The dress usually intricate design and embroidery. The colour red symbolizes love, joy, and prosperity. Before the Janti, the groom and his guests, arrive, the bride's family fast and pray and worship. The groom wears a traditional costume called daura suruwal with topi, but the groom can wear a suit, too. Before departing to a venue, the groom and family pray and worship. Then the groom departs to the bride’s home or venue with family members, guests and traditional musical groups which are called janti or bariyat in Nepali. The janti is a loud and cheerful gathering of the groom’s side. A musical band, which consists of nine types of traditional Nepali musical instruments, plays traditional tunes called panche baja. The groom is carted to the wedding venue either by a car or on a horse or dola, which is a wooden carriage, usually carried by two people on each side.

Once the groom and janti arrive at the bride's home, her family throw akshat phul (peeled rice and flower) over everybody. That time a maid opens an umbrella to protect the groom. It is called janti parsni. Then couple exchange tika and garland dubo Ko malla. Dubo is a certain type of grass which does not dry thus symbolizing the relationship will never break or dry. The couple also exchange wedding rings. This ceremony is called swayambar.

Then the janti have a feast or reception with food and dancing. Wedding guests bring a gift (cash or goods) for the newly married couple. The bride then sits next to the groom. Both the bride and groom's feet are washed by the bride's parents and relatives using a karuwa and copper bowl. This is called the godadhune ceremony. The parents perform the kanyadaan, which means giving the hand of the groom to the bride. That time groom’s shoes are hidden by bride’s sisters. Then the groom has to offer cash to get back his shoes from the bride’s sisters. They even bargain for cash. It makes fun to everyone and help each side to get familiar and comfortable. They return shoes if their requested amount is given.

After that the groom offers new clothes and gold jewelries to the bride and she wears them. He is also given new clothes by the bride's family. A long piece of cloth, called gath-bandan or lagan-gantho, now links both the bride and groom together, symbolizing their strong relationship.

The person who performs the kanyadaan places the groom's right hand in the bride's right hand. He then announces that he is giving bride’s hand to the groom. He does this with the priest, the fire, and the other gods as witnesses. He asks the groom to accept the bride. Following this the couple conducts satphera and they circle around holy fire seven times and do promise to take care and support each other for whole life.

In some Nepali communities, the Brahman priest conducts a stone worship, called the shilapooja. During this, the bride's brother places popped rice in the hands of the bride. She throws it in the holy fire.

Finally, the groom puts pote (necklace of glass beads) on the bride’s neck then after sindoor (vermillion powder) on the bride's forehead along the part of her hair three times and this is called sindoor halne. This is a very important part of the wedding. It is believed that the bride’s family should not watch this ritual and they don’t.

At last, the bride’s family gives farewell to the bride with heavy hearts and tears and the bride also says bye. The bride’s family give wedding special foods as a snack to janti on their way to groom’s home. The groom and janti return home with the bride. The both sides of the family spend a bundle on the wedding. The wedding takes up to three days.