Distinctive Jat Matrimony Rituals

Weddings have great importance in India and every community has their own set of rituals in weddings.

Jats, a community tracing their roots in Haryana have distinctive wedding customs. A host of rituals are

conducted engaging family members and of course bride and groom. Colorful and fun rituals are part of

every Jat Matrimony function. Just like Indian Hindu weddings, even a Jat wedding continues for several

days.

Pre wedding Jat Matrimony Rituals are many and every ritual has a deeper meaning to it. Jats usually

find match for the girl or boy within their own community. Elders and family members usually look for

the perfect partner for the prospective bride or groom. Matchmaking is traditionally done this way in

the Jat community. But with many Jat youngsters leaving their ancestral places and coming to work in

cities, another popular way of searching the life partner is preferred. Matrimony sites in India have

gaining popularity in India and many living away from homes use these sites to find partners from their

own community. There is a separate page for Jat Matrimony available and has thousands of profiles of

Jat community boys and girls.

Coming back to pre wedding rituals of Jat matrimony, there are several of them. Some of the important

wedding rituals are as follows:

Sagai or the Engagament:

This ritual is actual a promise to marry the bride after the alliance is finalized by the families. In a

traditional set of Jats, the boy and the girl has not much say. The groom visits the girl place along with

the family members. The boy and girl exchange rings and this mean both the parties are formally agreed

for the alliance.

Bhāt nūtanā

Maternal uncles are invited for a lunch, bhat by the mother of bride or groom. This happens about a

month before the wedding.

Mugdana

This is another symbolic ritual where green and dried twigs of khejri tree are brought from farms.

This is brought on the day of Bān and then worshipped by mother or sister of the groom or bride before

marriage.

Bān baiṭhānā

Ganesha Puja is very common in marriage in many Indian communities. In the Jat matrimony, the

Ganesha pujan ceremony is done at the start of the wedding.

Pīthī lagānā

The bride is applied a paste of grounded barley, turmeric and ghee. This paste is applied before the

wedding day to give a golden glow. It is an excellent homemade fairness cream.

Banorī

When the Bān baiṭhānā ceremony is over, the bride and groom cannot have food from their home. The

first meal outside the family happens at priest's house and is called baman banori. The following meals

happen in a relative’s house until marriage.

Ratijkā

Just a day before the wedding, the family members stay awake the entire night and enjoy in merry

making. They sing, dance and worship Hindu gods and goddess.

Mehandī lagānā

Common in various communities in India, the ritual of mehendi is time for some more fun. Brides’ hands

are painted in henna. The right hand a round spot is made for the ritual of Hathlewā.