Kannada Wedding

The Land and the People

Kannada weddings are held in Karnataka, in southern India. They take place in cities like Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru and Hubballi. Kannada-speaking families also hold them in other states and abroad. Karnataka is a state of old temples, palaces, coffee hills and modern cities. It is also the home of a rich culture of music, dance and literature.

Different communities in Karnataka have their own small customs. But most of them share the main rituals. The weddings are simple, holy and full of warmth. The people prefer a calm and graceful style to a loud and showy one.

How Long the Wedding Lasts

A Kannada wedding usually takes two to three days. In the past, some weddings took up to five days. Today, many families choose a shorter plan, but they keep the main rituals. The wedding is usually held in a hall, a temple or at home.

Before the Wedding

The wedding begins with Nischayathartha, when the families fix the match and exchange gifts. The families meet in the home of the bride or the groom. They exchange coconuts, fruits, sweets and clothes. The elders bless the couple. This is the formal announcement of the wedding.

A priest picks a lucky date. He checks the birth stars of the bride and the groom and finds a good day and time. The wedding invitations are then printed and shared with relatives and friends. Many families also visit temples to pray before the wedding.

Before the wedding, the bride and groom have a holy bath after applying turmeric and oil. The women of the family apply the paste, and they sing songs. The bath is believed to make the couple pure and ready for marriage. It is done at each home.

The Wedding Day

The groom does a Kashi Yatra, and the bride’s father brings him back to marry his daughter. In this ritual, the groom pretends to leave for the holy city of Kashi to study. He carries a walking stick and a small bag. The bride’s father stops him and offers his daughter in marriage. It is a playful and old custom that adds fun to the wedding.

On the wedding day, the couple sits together in front of the priest. The priest lights a lamp and begins the prayers. In Dhare, the bride’s parents pour water over the joined hands of the couple. This is the Kannada form of Kanyadaan. It is a holy and touching moment. The water is a symbol of purity and of giving with a full heart.

The groom ties the Mangalsutra at the lucky time. The sound of the nadaswaram and the drums rises. The guests throw rice and flowers on the couple. The couple takes seven steps around the holy fire. Each step is a vow to care for each other. The couple then takes the blessings of the elders.

Clothes and Jewelry

The bride often wears a Mysore silk or Kanchipuram silk sari. The sari is bright and has a golden border. She wears gold jewelry, and jasmine flowers in her hair. The groom wears a Panche, which is a dhoti, and a shawl. The Panche is white or cream with a golden border. The dress is simple and graceful.

Food, Music and Fun

The feast is served on banana leaves. Guests sit in rows, and the servers bring the dishes one by one. Popular sweets include Holige and Payasa. Holige is a sweet flatbread made of lentils and jaggery. Payasa is a milk pudding. The meal also has rice, sambar, palya and other vegetable dishes. The taste is fresh and mild. The wedding music has nadaswaram and drums. A Kannada wedding is a calm and holy event, filled with old traditions and family love.