Match-Making

Foremost is the part of matchmaking for the marriage alliance. Utmost care is taken in this delicate matter so that the alliance is perfect. First, the status of the families have to be at par, the Rajasthani clan must be taken into consideration since the bride and the groom should hail from separate clans. Then, the horoscopes have to be approved and tallied by the family astrologer. Rajasthani's, as a rule, marry only within the community. However, exceptions are made if royals are involved.

Ceremonies

Ganapati Sthapna & Griha Shanti Ceremony
However, there is no ring ceremony while Ganapati sthapana & griha shanti is the second most important ceremony performed usually a few days prior to the wedding. A havan is performed by the groom or bride's parents to propitiate the gods and an idol of Lord Ganapati is installed. All ceremonies commence only after the sthapana (installation).

Pithi Dastoor Ceremony

The pithi dastoor is one of the first important ceremonies, which involves the bride/groom and continues until the day of the wedding. The actual ceremony consists of application of turmeric and sandal wood paste to the bride/ groom who cannot leave the house once the pithi starts. The pithi dastoor at the bride's house is an elaborate affair. The bride dresses in an orange poshak (Rajasthani dress) and is then brought under a silken canopy, which is held with the help of swords at the four corners by four ladies who must belong to the same clan as the bride. She is brought to the ladies gathering, who then apply the paste to her. A similar ceremony takes place at the groom's as well, although it is not as elaborate. 

Dholans (women singers with dholak) sing auspicious prewedding songs while the ceremony is in progress. Throughout the wedding celebrations, the dholans are omnipresent, along with the Shehnai and the nagara players, though the latter remain at the courtyard or the garden.

Mehfils

Mehfils are in integral part of every Rajasthani wedding. Usually held in the evenings, they are again segregated into the "ladies' mehfil" and the "gents' mehfil". At the ladies' mehfil, all the womenfolk gather at a central place in an enclosed courtyard or hall. Dressed in dazzling dresses, they perform the ghoomar (a special dance done in a group). The bride at the mehfil is given an important position to sit and watch the proceedings. She may join the dancing occasionally, but protocol demands that she should not over indulge in the dancing. If the ladies' mehfil is in progress at the groom's house, then only the groom is privileged to attend the all women affair. Of course, the men have their own mehfil, where singers perform and these are strictly all male parties.

Mahila Dastoor

The mahira dastoor is yet another important ceremony, common to both the bride and the groom's families. This ceremony is performed by the maternal uncle of the groom/bride, who, along with his wife and family, arrives with much fanfare, and is received by the bride/groom's mother with the traditional welcome. The uncle then gives clothes, jewellery, sweets etc., to the entire family. The ceremony signifies that since at the time of a wedding there is considerable expenditure, it is the duty of the brother to help his sister at her child's wedding.

Janev Ceremony

Palla Dastoor

On the day of the actual wedding, or maybe a day prior to it, the palla dastoor is brought in by a few of the groom's relatives, accompanied by family retainers, to the bride's house. The palla dastoor consists of clothes, jewellery and gifts from the groom, which the bride has to wear during the wedding ceremony. This particular custom is typical to the Marwaris. The traditional Rajasthani poshak or wedding dress is usually red in colour, but it could also be orange, gold yellow, or pink. In certain Marwari clans, a bright parrot green is also worn. 

The jewellery consists of the rakhri (a circular piece of jewellery for the forehead), danglers for the ears, the timaniyaan (a choker studded with uncut diamonds) the chooda (a set of ivory and gold bangles), the bajuband or gold and stone-studded armlets, gold anklets and the bichhiya or gold toe-rings for the feet, and the nath or the stone-studded nose-ring.The jewellery has its own significance: the rakhri, worn in the parting of the hair, signifies that the bride must "walk on the straight path", earrings remind her that she should not have weak ears and listen to gossip, the necklace so that her head is always bowed down in humility, bangles tell her that her hand must always go forward for giving charity, anklets so that she puts the right foot forward and the nosering, of which it is said that the pearl should not be heavier than the nose, which means you should not spend more than what your husband can afford.

The Marwari Baraat

A Marwari baraat consists entirely of male members. The bridegroom is usually dressed in a gold achkan, with an orange turban and a churidar or jodhpurs with jootis. On the turban he wears a serpech a piece of jewellery specially meant for the urban. Around the neck he wears a necklace and around the waist he ties a cummerband. Of course, variations in styles and colours prevail. The baraat members also must wear achkans or sherwanis with jodhpurs and safas colourful turbans.

 The procession to the bride's house looks rather regal as there is absolutely no dancing on the streets by the baraatis. In fact, all members, including the groom who rides an elephant or a horse, carry swords. The horse is important for the Marwaris so even if he comes on the elephant, at in style by the bride's family again, only by the male members.