Gujarati culture

Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 27. Chapters: Culture of Gujarat, Makar Sankranti, Gujarati cinema, Gujarati people, Navratri, Gujarati cuisine, Dandiya Raas, Diwali in Gujarat, Bhavai, Garba, Gujarati Comedy Group, List of Garba events in Vadodara, Music of Gujarat, Sanedo, Murabba, Manoranjan, Hemant Chauhan, Ponk, Modhera Dance Festival. Excerpt: The Culture of Gujarat is that of Gujarat. In many Gujarati communities, the engagement ceremony is known as Gol Dhana (in Gujarati script, ¿¿¿-¿¿¿¿), or Gor Dhana, which literally means "Jaggery and Coriander seeds" and refers to the practice of distributing a small amount of jaggery mixed with coriander seeds. HINDU WEDDING Marriage is a highly auspicious occasion in the Indian culture. According to the Vedas, the Hindu scriptures, marriage is a sacred life long commitment between a man and a woman. It is considered to be the strongest of all social bonds and is the initiation into a lifetime of togetherness. The Vedic wedding ceremony consists of prayers, invocations, and vows recited in Sanskrit, the most ancient surviving language. The Vedic wedding ceremony dates back to over five thousand years. The ceremony is performed under a decorated canopy, the Mandap. The four pillars that surround the madap represent the four parents. This signifies the important part they have played in raising their children to become the responsible adults they are today. The ceremony is performed before a sacred fire, or Agni, which is the eternal witness of the marriage and all vows taken. HINDU WEDDING CEREMONY Baraat (Wedding Procession) The original form of a baraat is a procession from the groom's house to the bride's house for the wedding ceremony. The joyous wedding day begins with the Mangal Vadya, the playing of Shehnai (a traditional wind instrument) and Dhol (Indian drum). Swagatam (Welcoming of the Groom and his Family) The groom and his family are greeted at the doors of the Mandir (Temple) by the bride's parents and family. The mother of the bride then greets and welcomes the groom and his family into her own family. She blesses the groom by placing a tilak (red dot) on his forehead. The groom is then led to the mandap where the wedding ceremony will take place. Ganesh Puja (The worship of Lord Ganesh) Every Hindu ceremony begins with the worship of Lord Ganesh, deit