Overview
Vivah (Sanskrit: विवाह) is the traditional Hindu marriage ceremony. It is known by various regional names, including lagna in Marathi, biyah in Bhojpuri, bibaho in Bengali, bahaghara or bibaha in Odia, tirumanam in Tamil, pelli in Telugu, maduve in Kannada, and kalyanam in Malayalam. Hindu weddings are typically colourful affairs, with celebrations that may extend over several days and are attended by a large number of family members and friends. The homes of the bride and groom are often decorated with flowers, lights, and traditional ornamentation for the occasion.
In Vedic Hindu tradition, vivah is regarded as a sacred union and is counted among the saṁskāras—the rites of passage observed through the course of a human life. Marriage is understood as a lifelong commitment between a wife and a husband, and is described in the texts as a sacred bond witnessed by fire. Hindu families have traditionally been patrilocal in custom.
The roots of the ceremony are traced to hymn 10.85 of the Rigveda Shakala Samhita, often referred to as the "Rigvedic wedding hymn." The detailed rituals are prescribed in the Gruhya Sutras, composed by rishis such as Apastamba. The Arya Samaj movement, during the colonial era, popularised the term "Vedic wedding" among Hindu communities in the north, though similar practices had long been prevalent in south India. The primary witness of a Hindu marriage is Agni, the fire-deity, before whom vows are exchanged in the presence of family and friends. At each step of the ceremony, the bride and groom make promises to one another.
The rituals are traditionally conducted wholly or partly in Sanskrit, regarded by Hindus as the language of sacred ceremonies, and the local language of the bride and groom may also be used. While the core elements drawn from Vedic sources