Friday Night Sangeet

Here are what are programs said:

PRE-WEDDING INDIAN RITUALS FOR GOOD TIDINGS
Guests may mingle and enjoy food and drinks while the rituals are underway.

I. PROCESSION
- The bride and groom formally enter under a canopy of brightly colored green.
- Green is perceived as the color of life, nature, growth, renewal, and harmony.

II. GAJRA (Floral Ornaments) OFFERING
- The bride is presented with fresh floral ornaments by the groom’s female relatives.
- This is an age-old tradition symbolizing good luck, reverence, and honor.

III. MEHNDI / HENNA (Temporary Body Art)
- A mehndi artist will apply henna, in intricate designs, to the hands and feet of the bride. These intricate designs symbolize joy, beauty, spiritual awakening and offering.
- The bride and groom’s female relatives carry fancy mehndi plates with candles and present them to the bride and groom as an offering of joy.
- Guests may participate in the application of their own henna on their hands and/or feet.

IV. PITHI
- “Pithi” is a paste made of turmeric, chickpea flour and rose water.
- It was applied to the bride and groom’s skin by family members.
- In modern traditions, the paste (which can stain clothing and fingers) has been replaced by the application of vermillion on their foreheads. 
- The Pithi also includes feeding the bride and groom a sweet treat and throwing rice/petals over the bride and groom’s heads three times.
- The vermillion comes from the sindoor tree and brings good fortune by activating the chakras in the forehead and on the crown.
- The offering of something sweet is to show support in celebrating this joyous occasion and the rice and petals signify wishes of prosperity and happiness.
- Guests are welcome to participate after immediate family.
- All 4 gestures in the Pithi are optional:

#1. present a small token ($1 - $5 dollars) in an envelope to the bride and groom
#2 apply vermillion
#3 feed them sweets
#4 throwing rice/petals

V. KHOBA-KHOBEE (Games)
- Games serve as a jovial icebreaker for the bride and groom and begin with them seated across from one another.
- Colorful rice is placed in a large bowl and they must compete to find the coin.
- Whoever wins two out of three times, wins!

VI. DANDIYA RAAS and GARBA RAAS (Collective Dancing)
- Family members and guests engage in traditional folk dancing that originated from the Gujarat region of India.
- The Garba Raas consists of feet and hand movements (i.e., clapping and snapping your fingers) and the Dandiya Raas involves the use of wooden, decorative sticks.
- All participants perform the same steps at the same time to the rhythm of the music.
- This type of dancing is a visual expression of the unity and joy of family members, friends, and well-wishers on this auspicious occasion.
- Guests are invited to learn and participate in these dances or freestyle on the dance floor.

———

For the immediate family, our henna was done the night before, in order for the henna to dry. We had 2 henna artists for guests to have any henna designs they like.

Anil and I opted out of games to include enough time for catching up, eating and dancing.
We had a Houston Indian restaurant cater, Agas.
Our party favors were elephant candles, bangles and henna.

We invite you to check out our photos from the day.