Vivaha is the Sanskrit word for marriage, and it is the fifteenth of the sixteen samskaras. In the Hindu tradition it is not only a contract between two people but a rite that joins two families and opens the stage of life of the householder (grihastha), which the texts treat as the support of the other stages. It is one of the oldest and best-documented rites, and also one of the most varied across India.
It follows samavartana and comes before antyeshti. The samskaras overview shows the whole sequence.
What the rite is
The heart of a Vedic wedding is a small set of acts done before a sacred fire (agni), which is the witness of the vows. Descriptions in the Grihya Sutras, such as those of Ashvalayana and Paraskara, differ in detail, but the following elements recur.
- Kanyadaan: the father (or guardian) gives his daughter to the groom, with a prayer. The word means “the gift of a maiden”, and many modern couples rework the rite so that both families take part.
- Panigrahana: the groom takes the bride’s hand, the act that gives the rite its name in some texts (“taking the hand”).
- Agni and the offerings: the couple make offerings of puffed rice (laja homa) and ghee to the fire.
- Saptapadi: the couple take seven steps together, to the north-east or round the fire, with a vow at each step. The seven steps are the moment at which the marriage is considered complete in many traditions.
- Marks of marriage: a sacred thread, mangalsutra or sindoor, depending on the region, is placed on the bride, and rings and garlands are exchanged in many communities.
The Rigveda has a long wedding hymn, usually called the Surya Sukta, and a number of its verses are still recited at weddings. We do not give verse numbers, since editions vary.
When it is done
A day is chosen with the panchang, looking at the tithi, the nakshatra, the weekday and the position of the planets. Traditional rules avoid certain periods of the year, such as the time when Jupiter or Venus is combust, and the months many communities treat as unsuitable. A planned vivah muhurat guide will set these rules out, and the muhurat hub will list the other event guides. A family astrologer also compares the couple’s birth charts, since a general list of days cannot consider them.
Many families begin with a chart comparison. The Mangal Dosha calculator and the Chandrabala calculator explain two points that are often discussed; they are tools for reflection, not verdicts, and couples decide for themselves.
The steps as families perform them
A wedding usually runs over several days, with events before the main ceremony. A typical outline follows.
- Before the day. Engagement or betrothal, turmeric and henna rituals, a worship of Ganesha and the ancestors, and music. These are the most regional of all.
- The arrival. The groom’s party arrives in a procession and is welcomed by the bride’s family.
- The exchange of garlands (jaimala or varmala) in many communities.
- The main ceremony. The couple sit before the sacred fire. The priest recites the verses, the kanyadaan is performed, the hands are joined, offerings are made to the fire and the couple walk round it.
- Saptapadi. The seven steps with their vows.
- The marks of marriage. The mangalsutra, sindoor or a similar rite.
- Blessings, a meal and the farewell (vidai), where the bride leaves her parents’ home in many communities.
The seven vows
The seven steps are commonly explained as vows for food and nourishment, strength, prosperity, happiness, children and family, a long life together, and lasting friendship. The wording and the order differ by tradition, and a priest will usually explain each step in the language of the couple. Many couples now ask for the vows to be read aloud in English or the local language so that both families understand them.
What the Dharmasutras and Grihya Sutras say
Gautama lists vivaha among his forty samskaras, and the Grihya Sutras give the procedure in detail. The Dharmasutras and Manusmriti also describe eight forms of marriage, from the one regarded as most honourable (the gift of the daughter, brahma) to those regarded as the least. We mention this so that the reader knows that the texts discuss marriage at length, and that they reflect a social order in which a bride’s consent was not always central. Modern Indian law and modern practice place the consent of both persons at the centre, and most families today treat that as consistent with the best of the tradition.
Regional customs
- Bengal: the bride is carried on a low seat and circles the groom seven times (saat paak), the couple look at each other under a cloth (shubho drishti), and sindoor is applied (sindoor daan).
- Tamil Nadu and Kerala: the Kashi Yatra scene, the oonjal (swing), the tying of the thali, and a wedding at a temple in Kerala with a simple garland exchange are all well known.
- Gujarat and Rajasthan: in many communities the couple walk around the fire in four mangal pheras, with the seven steps taken as well or instead, according to the family.
- Maharashtra: the antarpat is held between the couple until the end of the mangalashtaka verses, then removed.
- Punjab and North India: the groom’s procession (baraat), the milni (meeting of the families) and the phere round the fire are central.
- Telangana and Andhra: the jeelakarra bellam, a paste of cumin and jaggery placed on each other’s heads, and the tying of the mangalsutra are well known.
The law
In India, the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955 recognises a marriage solemnised with the customary rites of either party. Where the custom includes the seven steps, the marriage becomes complete on the seventh. Marriages should also be registered, and many countries ask for a legal marriage in addition to the religious one. The priest does not replace the registrar.
How couples adapt it now
- Shorten the ceremony to an hour or two, with the priest explaining each step.
- Give both families a role. Many couples reshape the kanyadaan so that both sets of parents bless the couple.
- Use the vows in a language everyone understands.
- Hold the ceremony at a temple, a garden or at home, and keep the number of events within what the families can manage.
- Choose the day with the panchang and the astrologer, and also with the guests, the season and the venue in mind.
A wedding date is a joint decision and no chart replaces it. If you would like a reading of your two charts, the consultation page explains what we offer.
Frequently asked questions
↳ What is the vivaha samskara?
It is the fifteenth samskara, the Hindu wedding, centred on the sacred fire, the giving of the bride, the taking of the hand and the seven steps. It begins the householder stage of life.
↳ What is saptapadi?
It is the seven steps the couple take together, each with a vow, in front of the sacred fire. In many traditions and under the Hindu Marriage Act, the marriage is complete when the seventh step is taken, where that rite is part of the custom.
↳ How is the wedding date chosen?
With the panchang, looking at the tithi, nakshatra and weekday, and avoiding periods such as the combustion of Jupiter or Venus. A family astrologer also compares the two birth charts, which a general list of days cannot do.
↳ Is kanyadaan required?
It is traditional, but many couples and priests now reshape it so that both families take part, or leave it out. The marriage is valid in law with the consent of both persons and the proper rites or registration.
↳ Does a Hindu wedding need legal registration?
Yes. A religious ceremony does not replace registration, and the couple should register the marriage under the relevant law in their country.