The Ebied family requests your presence for this joyous celebration

A printed program will be available to help our guests follow along!

A Varghodo in a Gujarati wedding involves a series of rituals right before the Groom proceeds to wedding venue. The Groom, along with his family and friends set out in a procession singing and dancing all the way to the venue. Perhaps the biggest question that many have in regards to the Baraat has to do with the Bride. Where is she during this ceremony? More often than not, she is secretly watching from afar! She cannot participate because traditionally the Baraat is a ceremony specifically designed to welcome the Groom and his family to the wedding location.

Before he can enter the premises he is made to step onto a 'bajat' (low stool). The Bride's mother does a brief ritual, Pokhna ceremony, to welcome the Groom. There’s also a playful part in the ceremony, where Bride’s mother attempts to pull the Groom's nose reminding him to be humble as he's here to ask their daughter's hand. The Groom in return tries to escape the nose-pulling making this ritual joyful. The Groom is then led to the Mandap, where the ceremony is performed. This is also where the joota chupai (shoe hiding) game begins as no shoes can be worn on the Mandap. The ultimate goal of this tradition is to steal the Groom’s shoes, as he makes his way to the Mandap. The culprits, also known as the sisters, cousins and other female relatives of the Bride, then loot the shoes and find a discrete hiding place for them. Their objective is to achieve monetary gain later on following the marriage ceremony when the Groom needs his shoes to leave the venue. The Groom is forced to negotiate in order to avoid paying up. For a very handsome fee, the girls surrender the joota, thus ending the ritual. The game of the Joota Chupai is meant to show the acceptance and open hearts of both sides of the family and how willing and ready they are to share lifetime of laughter and fun together.

The wedding ceremony begins with the worship of Lord Ganesh, the remover of all obstacles and provider of good luck. All traditional Hindu ceremonies begin with invocation of Ganesh. Other pujas are also performed evoking the presence of other forms of God to preside over the wedding ceremony.

The Groom's feet are washed and Madhuparka (mixture of honey, yogurt, milk and ghee) is fed to the Groom by the Bride's father as a sign of welcome.

The Bride arrives and is escorted to the Mandap by her maternal uncles. Before the Bride enters, the Groom is hidden behind an antarpat, a sacred cloth held up by family members to signify that the Bride and Groom are not supposed to see each other until specific mantras are recited. After Maharaj (priest) recites specific prayers, the antarpat is lifted and the Bride and Groom see each other for first time under Mandap. They exchange flower garlands, signifying the beginning of their journey together and mutual acceptance of each other.

Kanya Daan is considered the most magnificent offering a Bride’s parents make. The Bride has her palm placed on the Groom's palm, to signify her passing to a new family.

Agni (fire) is lit as a witness to a marriage. The Bride and Groom offer various items to feed the first, and recite vows to be faithful and respectful to one another.

The couple walks around the agni four times. Each round represents Hindu goals in life: 1. Dharma (Obligations and Duty) - Duty to each other, family, and society 2. Aartha (Wealth and Prosperity) - Earning honorably and supporting each other 3. Karma (Deeds) - Unconditional love 4. Moksha (Enlightenment) - Eternally uniting with God through prayers and meditation. At the onset of each round, the Bride’s brothers fills the couple’s palms with rice, oats, and green leaves, signifying great health and bountiful wealth, prosperity and happiness. The grains are offered to the fire as a sign of giving up worldly possessions in order to receive rewarding blessings. The Groom leads the first three rounds and the Bride leads the fourth round. After the final round, both will step on a stone and offer a prayer for their mutual love to be firm and steadfast like the stone. The priest asks the couple to sit down and whoever sits first is believed to rule the household.

The Bride and Groom take seven steps together, symbolizing the beginning of their journey through life as partners. These seven steps reflect their guiding principles in life. As they take each step, the Bride and Groom exchange the following vows: 1. The first step to provide a nourishing and pure diet for our household and avoid the things which are harmful to our healthy living. 2. The second step to develop physical, mental and spiritual powers. 3. The third step with the aim of increasing our wealth by righteous means and proper use. 4. The fourth step to acquire knowledge, happiness and harmony by mutual love and trust. 5. The fifth step to be blessed with strong and virtuous children. 6. The sixth step for accomplishing self-restraint and longevity. 7. The seventh step with the vow that we shall always be true to each other, work together for prosperity and happiness and remain lifelong partners. The Bride and Groom now return to their seats, but this time the Bride sits on the left side of the Groom. As a married woman she is given a place of honor at her husband’s left side.

The Mangal Sutra is a sacred necklace that the Groom ties around the Bride’s neck. This symbolizes their marriage. The Groom then applies Sindoor in the center parting of Bride’s hair as a promise to fulfill her every wish. Lastly, the couple exchange wedding rings.

The Wedding ceremony has now concluded and the Maharaj, along with parents and elders of the couple’s families offer them blessings for a long and happy married life. The couple bend down to touch the feet of the Maharaj and their family elders as a form of worship known in the Hindu ceremony.

The Vidai is one of the most emotional parts of the ceremony. Now that the couple are married, the Bride bids farewell to her family. She throws a fistful of rice behind her shoulder wishing her childhood home happiness and security.