Kathiawadi Wedding

The Land and the People

Kathiawadi weddings are held in Kathiawad, which is also called Saurashtra, in Gujarat. This region includes Rajkot, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar, Junagadh and Amreli. It is a land of old forts, temples and the Gir forest, where the Asiatic lion lives. The people are proud of their history and their warm nature.

Kathiawadi families in Mumbai and other cities also follow these customs. The people are known for their warm hospitality. They love to welcome guests, and they treat every guest like a god. Their weddings are grand, colourful and full of folk music.

How Long the Wedding Lasts

A Kathiawadi wedding usually takes three to five days. Some families begin small functions a week before. The house is decorated and filled with guests. The days are packed with rituals, songs, dances and feasts.

Before the Wedding

The wedding begins with Gol Dhana, when the families share jaggery and coriander seeds. This ritual fixes the match. Jaggery stands for sweetness, and coriander stands for wealth. The families exchange gifts and share a meal.

In Mameru, the maternal uncle’s family brings gifts for the bride or groom. The gifts include clothes, jewelry, sweets and money. The uncle’s family arrives with music and dance. It is a grand ritual that shows the love of the mother’s family. The bride or groom is honoured by the whole family.

Pithi is applied to the bride and groom in their own homes. Women sing songs and apply turmeric paste. The bride and groom sit on a low stool and receive the love of the family. Garba and Raas nights are held with music and dance. In Garba, dancers move in circles. In Raas, they use sticks. The dance is fast and full of energy.

The Wedding Day

On the wedding day, the groom arrives in a Jaan, which is the Barat. The Jaan comes with drums and music. The groom’s family and friends dance in front of the bride’s home. The bride’s mother welcomes the groom in the Ponkhvu ritual. She waves a lamp around him, pinches his nose in a playful way and puts a tilak on his forehead.

The couple exchanges garlands, and the priest performs Kanyadaan. The bride’s father gives the hand of his daughter to the groom. It is a deep and emotional moment. Mangal Phera and Saptapadi are done around the holy fire. The couple takes rounds around the fire and makes promises. The wedding ends with Vaidaai. The bride says goodbye to her family and goes to the groom’s home.

Clothes and Jewelry

Men often wear a traditional dress called Kediyu and Chorno. The Kediyu is a short coat that is tied with strings, and the Chorno is a tight pair of trousers. Women wear Chaniya choli or Bandhani sari with colourful jewelry. The Bandhani is a tie-dyed cloth, and it is a specialty of Gujarat. The bride wears rich gold jewelry.

Food, Music and Fun

The feast has bajra rotla, sev tameta, kadhi and sweets like jalebi. Bajra rotla is a flat bread made of millet, and it is served with ghee and jaggery. Sev tameta is a spicy tomato dish topped with crispy sev. Kadhi is a sour curd curry. The taste is rich and homely. Folk songs and dances are the heart of the celebration. A Kathiawadi wedding is a joyful festival of dance and hospitality.