Sikh Wedding Services from MBE Chauffeurs
Sikh weddings
The Anand Karaj can be performed in any Gurdwara (a Sikh place of worship) or in any home where Sri Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikh holy book) has been respectfully installed, and can be officiated by any respected Sikh man or woman.
There are no restrictions on what time the religious ceremony should begin or end, however they usually begin in the morning and last for a few hours, followed by feasting and dancing in the afternoon.
The Reht Maryada or Official Sikh Code of Conduct specifies that there should be no consideration for the caste, race or lineage of any perspective spouse as long as both members of the union profess the Sikh faith and no other. The Reht Maryada also prohibits any dowry arrangement, as marriage is seen as a union of souls rather than a financial transaction. You can choose any day of the year for your wedding, as Sikhs are discouraged from consulting horoscopes or superstitions to determine a suitable wedding date.
The Ceremony
An engagement (Kurmai) is not deemed necessary, but, if desired, is typically performed a week before the wedding and is usually conducted at the temple or at the groom's home. If performed at the groom’s house, the brides’ family will visit bringing a kara (bracelet), kirpan (ceremonial sword) or Indian sweets. The brides’ family are presented with an Indian suit and sweets for the bride.
Anand Karaj – (the Sikh marriage ceremony) translates into English as ‘Blissful Union’ and describes the joyous union of two souls in an equal partnership.
Sikh marriages are usually arranged, however the parents act as little more than introduction services with the ultimate choice being left to the son and daughter.
Sikh weddings are legal under UK law, as long as the building in which the ceremony is held is registered for the solemnisation of marriages. If not, you will need to arrange a civil ceremony beforehand.
Women will usually wear bright or deep colours, black and white are considered unlucky. Men may wear traditional dress or western suits.
Different Sikh families have different customs for preparing the bride before her wedding. Some families have five of the bride's close relatives to stay with the bride for the days leading up to the wedding day. They comb a mixture of henna, oil and water through the bride's hair, and paint her hands and legs with henna designs.
In the east, Sikh marriages are typically three day affairs, beginning with the Braat (groom’s friends and family) arriving at the bride’s house in the evening of the first day. Following entertainment at the brides house the Braat will usually spend the night. Before leaving for the Anand Karaj, the groom will be presented with a ceremonial sword by an elder male in his family, he will also be given sweets by his mother and the entire family will perform Ardas and bow before the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. They may also have tea and snacks before leaving. The Braat then depart together for the Gurdwara
The groom will usually arrive on horseback for the meeting of the families, at which time Ardas will be recited once more to commemorate the ceremonial meeting of the two families.
The next stage of the ceremony is known as The Milni in which both families embrace and greet each other one by one, followed by tea and snacks before the main religious ceremony begins.
Musicians perform kirtan (the singing of hymns from Sri Guru Granth Sahib) as the guests enter the Gurdwara. The bride will then make her first public appearance of the day. Men and women are separated in the Gurdwara and will sit on opposite sides of the Gurdwara hall at equal distances from Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Non Sikh male and female visitors and guests can usually sit together if they wish.
At the ceremony, the groom is seated first. The bride is led to her seat by her mother, and is seated on the groom's left. The couple sit facing the Granthi, the officiator who reads from the holy book. Any good Sikh - male or female - may officiate at the marriage ceremony. The couple and their parents stand and bow to Sri Guru Granth Sahib to show their consent to the marriage and touch their foreheads to the floor.
The couple and their parents are asked to stand while the Granthi prays to the God Almighty, asking his blessing for the marriage before sitting while a short hymn is sung:
The officiate will then begin a lecture on the importance of marriage and their duties to one another as equal partners. The bride's father places one end of the pallah (scarf) in the groom's hand, over the groom's shoulder and the other end into the bride's hand. This symbolises the couple's unity. Once they are joined, they take their sacred vows, followed by a short hymn:
The Lavan marriage hymn is read with the groom, followed by the bride, walking around Sri Guru Granth Sahib in a clockwise direction at the completion of each of the four verses which symbolise the four stages of love. After each circuit, the bride and groom kneel and bow towards Sri Guru Granth Sahib. They are only married once they have made four circuits. After the couple and their relatives have walked around the holy book, the parents and grandparents of the couple stand up, to show their regard to the fact that they will support the couple. The couple bow when they reach the front of the holy book and take their seats
• The first verse describes the preparation and justification for the state of marriage, which is encouraged and supported as the best state of life for a Sikh. It rejects the idea that the religious person who dedicates his life to God should remain single.
• The second verse describes the first feeling of love when the bride has left her old life behind and begins the new life of partnership with her husband.
• The third verse describes the bride's detachment from the world and outside influences, when she becomes more deeply devoted to her husband and wishes to live only for him.
• The fourth verse tells of the most perfect love and devotion when no feeling of separation is possible between the two. On the purely spiritual plane, it would be as if the two souls have reached complete union with God and have found perfect joy of his love.
The marriage ceremony is concluded with the singing of the six stanzas of the Anand hymn, which was written by Guru Ram Das, after which Ardas (a prayer) is spoken, with the whole congregation joining in. The final point of the ceremony is a reading of a verse from the holy book, followed by the serving of Ceremonial pudding called Karah Prashad which is then distributed to everyone to mark the formal conclusion of the ceremony.
Following the conclusion of the formal religious ceremony, family members and friends will approach the bride and groom to offer congratulations. Some guests may place their hands on the heads of the bride and groom, as a blessing. Another tradition that may take place at this point is that of placing a token sum of money in to the pink scarf still held by the bride and groom. At this stage gifts of money can be dropped into the laps of the couple.
Glossary:
Anand Karaj – Sikh wedding ceremony
Ardas – common Sikh prayer
Braat – groom’s friends and family
Gurdwara – Sikh place of worship
Kara – ceremonial bracelet
Karah Prashad – ceremonial pudding
Kirpan – ceremonial sword
Kirtan – hymns from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib
Kurmai – engagement ceremony
Langer – ceremonial meal
Lavan Hymn – a wedding hymn by Guru Ram Das
Reyt Maryada – Official Sikh Code of Conduct
Sri Guru Granth Sahib – Sikh holy book
Reference: http://www.confetti.co.uk/wedding-ceremonies/sikh-weddings/#sthash.ZKbFQa2p.dpuf