The haldi ceremony is one of the main traditional ceremonies of an Indian wedding. Different regions call it by different names such as ubtan, tel baan, halad chadavane, manjha, pendikoothuru, etc. and is generally held in the morning one day before the wedding. The ceremony generally consists of ubtan, a mixture of Turmeric (haldi), aromatic oil, milk or rosewater, sandalwood which is very generously applied to the bride and groom by their close family and friends. This is one ceremony that is filled with lots of fun and playfulness as at one point, the haldi mixture is gets applied to everyone present for the ceremony.
Usually, the ceremony starts in the morning where the ladies of the house prepare the ubtan. The bride typically wears a yellow salwar suit as it complements the yellow color of haldi. She sits on a low stool and all her friends and family members apply the ubtan (turmeric mix) on the bride’s face, neck, hands, and feet by a mango leaf or a bunch of grass. As time proceeds, the ubtan gets applied to everyone present. This is then followed by dance and other fun elements decided by the family. The same is also done at the groom’s end where the groom wears a kurta-payjama or dhoti-kurta.
Significance of Haldi
Haldi is known to have antiseptic properties that help in the prevention of acne and pimples on the skin. It is also an exfoliating agent that makes the skin glow as it removes the dead skin cells and detoxifies your skin. The main purpose of putting haldi before the wedding is to make the skin radiant and prevent any blemishes on the bride’s or groom’s skin, because who wants a pimple just before your big day?!
As per Hindu tradition, the yellow color is considered to be very auspicious and said to bring prosperity for the couple.
It also acts as a mild anti-depressant that relaxes your mind, removes the feeling of nervousness, anxiety, headaches, and stress due to the presence of curcumin. It can even help in removing the pre-wedding jitters!
There is a superstition around haldi that it wards off the evil eye (buri nazar) which is why you’ll see that the bride and groom are not allowed to go outside post the haldi ceremony as a precautionary measure.
And think of all the fun you can have. Once the haldi has been applied to the bride and groom, the fun begins when the bride or the groom starts applying the haldi on their guests or the guests apply it to each other. It is just like the festival of Holi but with haldi. And who knows, if you get a chance to apply the bride’s or groom’s share of haldi you may get married soon!
If you’re preparing for a ceremony, you need to follow or make sure that the tradition of this ceremony doesn’t get overlooked trying to make this day as fun as possible.
Here are some essentials that should be kept in mind when planning for this day.
Points to Remember
1. Guest List
The haldi ceremony is generally an intimate affair that is completed with close family members and friends. Make sure that the guest list is not so big that either you or the guests are unable to enjoy the day to its fullest.
2. Celebration Venue
Owing to the number deciding on the guest list, decide an appropriate venue that is easily reachable and has ample space that can accommodate everyone. Ideally, it is arranged in the bride’s or groom’s house, but nowadays, the couple can be seen arranging an outdoor venue.
3. Planning the event
Planning a haldi celebration involves deciding the décor, color theme and other props required to make the place bright, lively and exciting. Yellow is the natural selection for the color theme as it is a day function and complements the overall mood of the day. The vibe can further be elevated by pairing it with colors like pink or blue and decorating the venue in floral decorations and vibrant drapes. There are many innovative decoration props that can be used these days like colorful umbrellas, feathery dream catchers, paper lanterns, shimmering tassels, etc. Also, plan out the function in such a way that you get plenty of time to have fun post the ceremony.
4. Outfit
One of the most important aspects of the function is the outfit that you will wear. Go for the traditional yellow color to keep up with the yellowness of the day. However, these days there are many outfits, sarees, salwar suits and lehengas that come in a variety of colors and elegant prints that also suit the occasion. But beware! Since haldi is quite hard to wash off from the clothes, make sure you wear something that you wouldn’t mind getting messy in.
5. Styling
Floral jewellery is quite a trend these days and you can pair your outfit with it. It not only makes you look beautiful but brings out your natural femininity. Also, if you’re putting on make-up, ask your make-up artist regarding the type of products that can be used in conjunction with the mix that will be applied on your face or for how long the haldi can stay on the face. I would suggest, ditch the makeup and let the turmeric do its job!
6. The Ubtan
The most important component of any haldi function is the ubtan. The basic ingredients of an ubtan are Turmeric (haldi), milk, any aromatic oil and sandalwood. However, the ingredients may also change as per the regions or family traditions. It is applied to the bride and groom by all the attendees of the function by a bunch of grass or mango leaves. You should ensure that there is sufficient ubtan and mango leaves and oil for all the guests to apply to the bride and groom and on each other as well. Because what’s haldi function without smearing each other with it and having fun?
7. Follow the Traditions
There are many traditions that are typical to a household or community which you must not forget to follow in the excitement of planning other fun elements. Pay heed to what the elders of the house have to say in terms of following these traditions as they have the most knowledge. For example, it is a custom in most Indian weddings that the haldi functions start by a married lady applying the haldi on the bride and groom, who is followed by other married ladies and then other family members and friends.
8. The Food
Food is an essential part of our daily lives and when it’s the time of an auspicious function, one must make sure that it is easy to carry and eat, satisfies the guests’ palate and suit the occasion as well. Ideally, items such as shakes and smoothies or other light beverages, burger sliders, fruits, fries, chaat, Chinese snacks, kulfi, laddoos, etc. can be served all throughout the function. Contact your vendor or event planner (if you have engaged one) to see what’s in trend these days.
9. Playlist
There are a plethora of songs on wedding, mehendi and haldi in Hindi cinema that I’m sure you will not run out of songs to play. Not saying that other songs like hip-hop, EDMs, electro and other Hindi songs cannot be played. Curate a list of such songs in consultation with your DJ that suit the function and groove to the mixes.
10. See what’s in trend
In the world of social media, it is not difficult to see the current trend of things when celebrating any occasion. So why should such a traditional function be behind? Try on other colors and outfit styles or go for more quirky or DIY decorations and fusion foods. These trends are a great way to shake things up a bit and set a mood.
The haldi ceremony is synonymous with yellow, laughter and all the joy people can bring from within themselves on that day. And now you also know why haldi is important as a ceremony and an ingredient. So with all the above essentials in mind, go ahead and plan a wonderful and exciting haldi ceremony.
We at @VenueMonk bring you many tips and ideas for different outfits, decoration and every essential thing a bride-to-be or groom-to-be would need. Hope this blog helped you!