Generally, it's called a
wedding; but Sikhs have a sacred name for it: "Anand Karaj",
which is Punjabi for "blissful union."
Sikh marital unions are
closer in principle to western marriages than any other South Asian
cultures, in that Sikhs are free to choose their partners, provided
they are also Sikhs. However, the Anand Karaj is vastly different
from a western wedding ceremony.
The Anand Karaj consists of
a series of rituals, many of which involve paying respect to the Guru
Granth Sahib, Sikhism's sacred text. The ceremony also does away with
marriage documents, needing nothing more than an affirmation by the
bride and groom of their undying love for each other.
One of the highlights of the
Anand Karaj is the four wedding rounds known as the Lavan. These
rounds signify the four stages in a life of love: duty to the family
and community, selfless love and holy fear, freedom from any desire
other than God, and total harmony. As these verses are sung, the
couple walks around the Guru Granth Sahib four times.
At the end of the Anand
Karaj is the feast. Unlike Christian churches, the Gurdwara, where
the wedding ceremony takes place, comes with its own free kitchen
where the food for the guests is prepared and served.
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