1. Growing the nine pulses
In this ritual, three married women representing Saraswathi, Lakshimi, and Parvathi, the consorts respectively of the trinity of the Hindu gods, Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver and Siva the destroyer, gather nine kinds of rational pulses together with milk and honey in a mud pot. The women are propitiated as divine witness who grant a fertile future to the couple.
2. Inviting the groom and his party
In this ritual, the bride's family goes over to the groom's family and brings them over to the wedding site in a formal procession.
3. Tying the charm
In this ritual, a thread dipped in turmeric is made potent with prayers and then tied to the right wrist of the bride and the groom. This thread-bracelet encircling the symbolizes the divine power invoked encircling the couple, shielding them from harm and ensuring the successful conduct of marriage.
4. Dressing the couple
In this ritual, wedding clothes, dhoti to the groom and sari to the bride, together with wedding garlands, blessed with and then offered to the couple. The groom's brother and the bride's sister or a close relative, respectively called Groom's friend and Bride's Maiden, help the couple along.
5. Pouring the water
in this ritual, the bride's right hand is placed above the groom's right hand in a clasp. The bride's parents stand close by. The mother pours water from a pot and the father channels it down on to the clasped palms of the couple. This important ritual is best interpreted as the dissolving of the individual identities of the bride and the groom as man and women into a new identity of husband and wife whose life will, from now on, flow together.
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