Wedding day
Baraat
The groom's procession: dhol, dancing and a slow arrival.
What happens
The groom's procession to the wedding venue — in many North Indian, Punjabi and Pakistani weddings on a decorated horse (a ghori), in others by decorated car, and occasionally something grander. It arrives with dhol and a large amount of dancing, moves slowly, and is supposed to. Not every tradition has one: many South Indian weddings centre the morning muhurtham rites rather than a procession, so take this as common rather than universal.
Logistically it is the most complicated fifteen minutes of the wedding: a horse and handler, dhol players, portable sound, road or parking-lot access, and sometimes a municipal permit. Build in far more time than the schedule suggests.
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Other events
- Pre-weddingMehndiHenna, music and a relaxed evening the day before.
- Pre-weddingHaldi or PithiTurmeric, family and the morning everyone remembers.
- Pre-weddingSangeetThe music-and-dance night with the family performances.
- Pre-weddingGarba or RaasThe circular folk dance night, with singers who know the repertoire.
- Pre-weddingDholkiSongs around the drum, at home or at a venue.
- Wedding dayThe CeremonyAnand karaj, pheras, nikkah or a blend: the wedding itself.
- Wedding dayReceptionDinner, speeches, entrances and the dance floor.
- Post-weddingWalimaThe groom's family's celebration after the nikkah.