Sangeet: A Cultural Element of Fun
Taking elements of other cultures and integrating them into your wedding celebration is a popular trend amongst couples today. In this cultural mosaic, the world is literally at our doorstop proudly displaying a wonderful array of wedding ceremonies and accessories.
One such ceremony is the Sangeet. Literally translated into English as meaning "singing together", the Sangeet is a pre-wedding ceremony tradition that used to be celebrated with the bride alone, but today is fast becoming something that both bride and groom take part in.
Originally the Sangeet would involve female members of both families celebrating by dancing and singing songs well into the night. Similar to the western tradition of a bridal shower mixed with a stagette. Involving elaborate decorations, food, and drink to accompany the festivities, the Sangeet also includes elements of traditional ethnic clothing, mixed with traditional dances and songs.
At the bride's house the bride's female friends and relatives would play the dholki and sing suhaag, a traditional folk song, along with other songs that include "jokes" about the in-laws, and her future husband which would instruct the bride in how to have a successful marriage, and how to leaver her parents home.
At the groom's house the songs by female friends and relatives continued with songs called ghorlya.
This long held tradition of India has evolved to become a celebration involving much more preparation in a much more lavish setting than the simple family home.
Even though, today they are often held in a lavish banquet hall or ballroom, the Sangeet still retains the joy and merriment of the past but now in such a way that both bride and groom can enjoy the resulting joining of their two families.
If you are of Indian descent, or even if you are not, and are not looking to hold a traditional Indian wedding but would still like to incorporate elements of the Sangeet into your own day, look to creating a special room on your wedding day that can be used as a gathering place for friends to "jam" with their own instruments, singsongs, and relax away from the larger more raucous party or dance.
Here, in a festively decorated space, where refreshments and snacks are made readily available, friends and family both new and old can reminisce and laugh over the childhoods of the bride and groom, as well as their own wedding celebrations.
Weddings are a time for rejoicing, and sometimes the best ways to do so can be found in other cultures. Why not incorporate the element of a Sangeet into your bridal shower or reception and enjoy the fun and joy that naturally will follow.
©2009 Weddingstar Inc.
