Panjabi weddings are very grand, vibrant and fun-filled affairs. But in the midst of all the colour, energy and extravagance, there are many traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation. Most people carry out these traditions, but many do not know what the meaning, significance or origins of these traditions are. So, here is a breakdown of some of the top Panjabi wedding traditions…
Chunni
The Chunni ceremony involves the groom’s family vising the bride and her family, where they gift the bride an outfit and accessories. ‘Chunni’ means scarf and a red suit (form Panjabi attire) is gifted to the bride to be along with matching bangles, necklace, earrings, tikka, bindi, nail varnish, makeup and mehndi. The groom’s sisters and sister in laws each put the jewellery and makeup on the bride to be.
Jago
‘Jago’ literally means ‘wake up’. it is a pre-wedding ceremony that both the bride and groom’s side participate in but separately in their own homes. Female members of the family carry a Jago on their head, which is a stand that holds many candles, and they sing and dance in the streets and knock on people’s doors to tell them that there’s a wedding happening and everyone in the street has a little party. This tradition has now evolved to be part of the pre-wedding party and the family dancing to a few Jago related songs on the dancefloor rather than out in the streets and no longer knock on their neighbours’ door.
Churra
The Churra is a set of red bangles that the bride wears on her wedding day. They are gifted to the bride by her Nanke (maternal family) during the Nankeshak (maternal family gift the bride). The bride’s Mame (mother’s brothers) dip each bangle in a bowl of milk to cleanse them and put them on each of her wrists.
Maiyan
Maiyan is a yellow gooey substance made out of flour, water, milk, lemon juice and turmeric. It is a thick paste that is applied to the bride and groom’s faces, arms, legs and feet during their individual pre-wedding celebrations. Each family members takes turn to apply it to the bride/groom. Maiyan is very good for the skin and makes it very soft and glowing. Whereas nowadays people can have facials and other treatments done to enhance their skin, people still participate in the Maiyan ceremony for cultural reasons.
Milni
The Milni takes place in the morning of the wedding day. The bride and groom’s family meet each other at the wedding venue/temple and greet each other. The main members of the bride’s family such as the parents, aunts, uncles and siblings meet the groom’s family members by hugging them and the male’s put a garland around their necks and the bride’s female family members give the groom’s female family members a gift with money and sweets.
Stealing the Groom’s Shoes
As the wedding ceremony involved people taking their shoes off, the girls on the bride’s side often get a bit mischievous and hide the groom’s shoes. They then tease the groom and persuade him into giving them some money in exchange for his shoes.
Mendhi Name
The bride and female family members from both the bride and groom’s sides get mehndi/henna designs done on their hands in the run-up to the wedding. The bride sometimes gets the groom’s name printed onto her hand and because the bride’s mehndi is so detailed and intricate, a game is played with the groom to see if he can spot his name.
Throwing Rice
After the couple are married and the bride leaves her home, she grabs a handful of uncooked rice and throws it in 4 directions in her living room just before she leaves home, it signifies prosperity and abundance in the home after the bride leaves.
So there you have a few Panjabi wedding traditions.