The Joyous Occasion Of Sangeet Ceremony In Pre-Wedding Rituals

Indian marriages are well-known for their magnificent and vibrant celebrations. Though an Indian wedding is characterized by solemn rituals and serious customs, but at the same time the weddings also have the scope for fun filled and happy moments. So, inspite of the serious note associated with Indian marriages, the factors of entertainment and fun are inseparable parts of it. This makes up for the emotional aspect of the wedding, thus making such an auspicious and sober occasion light-hearted and amusing.

Pre-Wedding Rituals
In Indian weddings, the scope for amusement and fun starts with the very day of the pre-wedding rituals. Such celebrations range from Haldi, Mehendi, to Sangeet, which are some of the most enjoyable moments in a wedding. Amongst these, special mention may be made of the Sangeet party, which is the most entertaining of all.

The Sangeet Ceremony
Popularly known as ‘Gaun’, the Sangeet ceremony intensifies the anticipation of the wedding festivities. During earlier times, the custom of ‘gaun’ lasted for ten days. But in the recent times, as people lack extended holidays due to demanding work schedules, the custom has been reduced to a one night function.

At this function when conducted at the bride’s home, female friends and relatives play the dholki and sing the traditional folk song called Suhaag. These songs are structured on a funny note and elucidate about the in-laws, the would-be husband, the secret of a successful marriage and also about the bride leaving her parents’ home. Along similar lines, the womenfolk at the groom’s home sing songs called Ghoriya. Previously the tradition existed such that only the women can participate in this ceremony but nowadays the concept has changed. Today, both men and women participate and celebrate this occasion.

In most weddings, the Sangeet party is celebrated on a grand scale and turns out to be an elaborate affair. But, in certain cases, it is also observed along with the Mehendi function in order to save time. In fact, people are generally in favor of combining the both to make it a big joint affair which calls for more fun and excitement. Moreover, as a joint affair before the marriage ceremony, it serves as a common platform for developing a familiarity between both the families of the bride and the groom.

The Sangeet function is a significant pre-wedding function of most North Indian weddings. But it is the most popular trend among Gujaratis and Punjabis. Among the Gujaratis, the Sangeet party mainly revolves around the traditional dances of Garba and Dandia Raas, which is dancing with sticks. Among the Punjabis, the Giddha and Bhangra are the prevalent dance forms for the Sangeet night ceremony.

We hope that you must have, by now garnered how wholeheartedly Sangeet Function is celebrated in Indian weddings.