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A diverse people with roots from Kashmir to the Middle East, Maharashtrians are natives of the Western state of Maharashtra. The Maharashtrians are a very traditional and pious group of people, primarily descended from castes with strong religious ties, such as Brahmins and other priest castes.

As a result, their wedding customs are frequently straightforward but culturally rich. Each wedding can differ because the state is home to a wide variety of cultures and ethnic groups. However, there are a number of customs and rituals that are followed during a traditional Maharashtrian wedding.

Matchmaking and astrology

Lagnaach Bedior begins the traditional Maharashtrian marriage process by looking for a compatible match. The family priests then match the boy and girl’s patrikas, or horoscopes, after that is finished. The various preparations for the wedding start once the horoscopes line up.

Bridal attire

For the wedding, the Marathi groom typically white or beige cotton kurta and a white Kanche or Dhoti with a fine border. They carry an elegant piece of cloth, usually red or gold in colour, on their shoulders. They might cover their heads with a pheta, or they might don the customary Gandhi hat in white.

Marathi bride

The Marathi bride is dressed in a brightly coloured silk saree with intricate gold borders in the traditional Maharashtrian trouser style. Yellow or dahlia with borders in green or purple are the most popular colour combinations. The saree can be either a traditional Nauvari Saree measuring 9 yards or a Paithani saree measuring approximately 6 yards.

The Maharshtrian bride dons a few recognisable pieces of jewellery, such as Choodas, which are green glass bracelets, mangalsutras with two hollow gold cups in the middle, Thusi, which are traditional necklaces, the iconic Maharshtriannath, and Vaaki, which are armlets. On her forehead is the customary Maharashtrian moon-shaped bindi. A headband called a “Mundavalya” is worn by both the wedding couple. Typically, two rows of pears hang from the ears and are tied side to side across the forehead.

Wedding customs that are a must:

Ganpati Puja: On the morning of the wedding, the couple worships Lord Ganesha and begs for his blessing on their future and the absence of all obstacles in their lives.

The bride’s parents then go with their daughter to the venue to ask everyone there to bless their daughter.

Devdevak – At the location of the wedding, the family deity is then invoked. The bride’s mother washes the groom’s feet, puts tilak on his forehead, performs his arti, and feeds him sweets as soon as the groom and his family arrive at the wedding location for the Seeman Puja.

Conclusion:

Maharashtrians place a high value on their families, which is evident in their wedding customs. Every family member has a role to play in the ceremony, from the bride’s siblings to the mother’s brother. Additionally, Hindu superstitions are taken very seriously. Even today, Maharashtrian weddings are renowned for their conformity to horoscopes to assess the compatibility of the marathi bride and the marathi groom as well as the most auspicious days for the wedding ceremony.