Foreign Bride–Indian Groom Wedding Video Triggers Ritual Row Online (WATCH)

A viral video of a cross-cultural wedding has generated controversy over the Varanamalyam, a Hindu garland exchange ritual. Instead of the couple exchanging garlands themselves, two children placed them on the bride and groom.

A group of netizens has expressed concern that rituals like the Varanamalyam are being performed incorrectly at the wedding ceremony of a couple from two different cultures. Meanwhile, another group of viewers has come forward stating that as times change, rituals can also change.

The event management company 'Weddings by Ekta Saigal Lulla' shared the video on their Instagram page. The video was viewed by over 2 million people in a single day. The comments below the video make it clear that the way the bride and groom were garlanded during the wedding celebration is what upset the viewers.

Who should perform the Varanamalyam?

The Varanamalyam ceremony is the most important ritual in Hindu weddings. During the wedding, the bride and groom place flower or tulsi garlands around each other's necks as a symbol of mutual acceptance. With this ceremony, the bride and groom are declared married. In Hindu weddings, other ceremonies proceed only after the Varanamalyam is exchanged.

However, since event management companies started organizing weddings directly, the company now decides the ceremonies. As a result, many rituals have been altered for the convenience of photoshoots and reels. The video showed such a wedding celebration. The wedding of an Indian groom and a foreign bride is taking place on a platform in the middle of a lake, with an ancient fort in the background.

Two boys come with garlands for both. Then, the children themselves place the garlands around the necks of the bride and groom. This is followed by a shower of flowers from behind them.

Everything is just an event

Many people wrote notes saying that many rituals were violated in the wedding of the bride and groom from two different cultures. Some viewers pointed out that the children's roles here were similar to that of ring bearers in Christian weddings. One viewer jokingly commented on whether the Hindu Marriage Act would apply to all four people in the video. Another viewer consoled themselves by writing that everything is just an event after all.