A Marriage Puja is an essential aspect of Hindu wedding rituals, performed to invoke blessings from the deities and ensure a happy, prosperous, and harmonious married life. In Bangalore, as in many parts of India, these rituals combine both spiritual and cultural traditions, with specific ceremonies tailored to the couple's family traditions and regional customs.
Before starting the wedding rituals, a Ganesh Puja is conducted to seek the blessings of Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. This is performed to ensure that the wedding proceeds smoothly without any hindrances. The priest chants mantras, and offerings such as flowers, coconut, and sweets are made to Lord Ganesha.
This puja is performed to seek the blessings of the Navagrahas (the nine celestial planets). The belief is that the alignment of planets at the time of marriage influences the couple’s future. By performing this puja, any negative planetary influences are minimized, ensuring a successful marriage.
One of the most significant rituals, the Kanyadaan is when the bride’s parents offer their daughter to the groom, symbolizing the passing of responsibility. The parents pour holy water into the groom’s hands, signifying their blessings and the giving away of their daughter.
A sacred fire is lit, and the bride and groom offer ghee, rice, and other items into the fire while chanting Vedic mantras. This hawan purifies the environment and symbolizes the couple's commitment to the sacred bond of marriage.
The Mangalashtak involves chanting sacred verses while the couple stands before the sacred fire. After this, the couple performs the Saptapadi, or the seven sacred steps, which signify the vows taken by the couple to support each other through life's challenges. Each step represents a promise of nourishment, strength, prosperity, happiness, progeny, long life, and unity.
The groom ties the mangalsutra(sacred necklace) around the bride’s neck, symbolizing their eternal bond and the beginning of their married life. The priest chants mantras, and family members shower the couple with blessings and rice.
In this ritual, family members and guests shower the newlyweds with akshata (rice mixed with turmeric or saffron), symbolizing blessings for a prosperous and happy life together.
After the completion of the marriage puja, an aarti is performed by the priest to conclude the wedding ceremony. It involves lighting a lamp and circling it around the couple, accompanied by the chanting of hymns, signifying divine blessings for their future.
In Bangalore, you can perform traditional Marriage Pujas at home, in temples, or at wedding venues with the assistance of experienced priests. Some popular places to conduct marriage pujas include:
Many families prefer to conduct the wedding and accompanying rituals in prominent temples. Some popular temples in Bangalore where marriage ceremonies and pujas are often held include:
Bangalore has many wedding halls and venues where priests perform marriage pujas in accordance with Vedic traditions. Many venues provide complete arrangements for the rituals, including a dedicated space for the sacred fire (vivaha havan) and other ceremonial activities.
Several online platforms and local services in Bangalore offer priest booking services for marriage pujas. Some of these include:
Hindu scriptures considers wedding as a religious ceremony with sturdy ethical and moral values. wedding ceremonies vary in its rituals for various communities across our country but the aim is that the same.
Performing a Marriage Puja in Bangalore is a beautiful blend of sacred rituals, prayers, and blessings. It is an integral part of Hindu weddings and is considered essential to seek divine blessings for a harmonious and prosperous married life. With various temples, venues, and priests available in Bangalore, couples can ensure that their wedding pujas are performed with devotion and according to traditional Vedic customs.
The Groom adorns the Bride’s neck with the Mangalsutra, a jewelry figuration good luck, love and friendship.The ceremony integrates the lives of the marrying couple across the 2 families and reinforces the commitment of the Bride and Groom.
