Weddings in Uttar Pradesh

Weddings in Uttar Pradesh are closely linked to the cultural roots of the state. The weddings in UP have many rituals and take long hours to complete, and religious ceremonies are given a lot of importance. Gods are offered prayers and the elders of the family have a pivotal role to play. While the wedding itself is full of pomp and grandeur, the feast is mostly vegetarian.  Every wedding in Uttar Pradesh is an occasion for the whole family to get together. The land of Rama and Krishna, the Kumbh Mela and Holi is steeped in its ancient culture which reflects beautifully in the weddings of the state.

A UP Wedding

BACKGROUND

Like most of the Indian weddings, weddings in Uttar Pradesh also comprise of many rituals which begin days before the wedding and continue till after the wedding day. A wedding in Uttar Pradesh is a time when the entire family, relatives and friends get together for a fun filled celebration. The food served in these weddings is usually pure vegetarian and mostly heavy food items are part of the wedding menu. The U.P. weddings are a grand affair and the people leave no stone unturned to make it a memorable day for the bride and the groom.

The process of a U.P. wedding begins from horoscope matching and when everything is finalized by the two families, the first ceremony of Rokka’ takes place. This ceremony is a symbol of commitment that the bride and the groom give to each other. Many ceremonies follow the Rokka such as mangni, sangeet, mehandi and finally the wedding rituals on the D-day. Each and every ritual in the wedding has a meaning and it has to be noted that these weddings take place mostly during the winter season. In all, U.P. wedding is packed with rituals that go on for hours and the fun never leaves the party.

Style and attire

Every wedding ceremony will stand incomplete and devoid of color if the bride and groom do no don the traditional wedding attire. The same is the case with Uttar Pradesh weddings, and both the bride and the groom look their amazing best on their wedding day as after all they are about to enter a new phase of life.

The bride usually wears a lehenga choli on her wedding day which is heavily embellished with embroidery. The lehenga and choli is teamed up with a dupatta which she takes on her head to cover it. The whole wedding outfit of the bride is decorated with heavy work and looks absolutely brilliant. With time the trends in the wedding outfit have certainly changed and there are many new designs and colors available in the market these days. The color red however has been one of the favorites of the brides up till now. These lehengas are made from fabrics such as Silk, Chiffon, Crepe and even Velvet, which is a popular choice these days.

The groom on the other hand dresses in an elaborate sherwani coupled with jootis and a sehra, or pagdi. The sherwani worn by the groom is usually light in color but time has brought changes in the color preferences as well. The sherwanis possess heavy embroidery on it and are available in different designs and styles. The sehra is worn on the head and it is usually red in color.

UP Bride (Image: Famous India)

Innovations

The rituals of a traditional Uttar Pradesh wedding are the same but there have been innovations in the attire of the bride and groom. The bride’s attire is now also designed by famous designers who take inspiration from the film industry and many unique styles. The same is the case with the attire of the groom.

Global wear ability

The grandeur of an Uttar Pradesh wedding is spread across the globe. There are many Indian people settled abroad and they take their culture and rituals with them wherever they go. The lehenga choli is indeed quite popular among the foreign women because of its exquisiteness, and sheer regal appeal.

Accessories

The bride in an Uttar Pradesh wedding accessorizes her outfit with a lot of heavy jewelry from head to toe, which is mostly made of Gold. The basic ornaments such as necklaces, bangles, nath, earrings and anklets are a part of every wedding outfit.

Maintenance

Both sherwani and lehenga choli require proper maintenance because of the heavy work and embroidery done on them. Therefore dry cleaning is the best solution to keep them safe and forever new.

References

• http://www.famous-india.com/weddings/upite.html
• http://www.360weddingplanners.in/articles/details/164/wedding-attire/fascinating-wedding-outfits-for-indian-grooms.html