It is a pre-wedding ritual which is performed to remove all the obstacles and bring happiness and prosperity into the lives of the couple. As it is believed that the stars and the planets have a great influence on our lives, this pooja is performed to ensure that the Navagrah or 9 planets are aligned for both the bride and the groom in order to live a happy life together. Like the name suggests, Grah means the house and Shanti means peace, thus it means the peace of the house.

Turmeric, referred to as Haldi in Hindi, is a common flavor in Indian cooking and also a significant ingredient in the pre-wedding Hindu event known as the Haldi, or Pithi, ceremony. Known to possess anti-inflammatory, healing, beautification, antiseptic, and purification properties, Haldi is essentially a cleansing procedure for the bride and groom to be. It’s beautiful mustard yellow hue is auspicious in Indian tradition representing a life of prosperity for the couple about to begin their new life together. A common reason why Haldi is used for this ceremony is to rid the couple of Buri Nazar, the Sanskrit term for evil eye. After the ceremony is completed, the Bride and Groom are expected to stay within the household in order to prevent all evil spirits.

Often grouped together in the Kanyadaan ceremony, the Hastmelap is translated from Sanskirt to mean ‘the joining of the hands’. The couple is united with the union of their hands in the presence of Agni Devta (the Lord of Fire), represented by the fire lit during the Vivaah Homa. The Bride places her right hand in the Groom’s right hand as per tradition. Then to strengthen their bond, the Groom’s sister or mother ties the ends of the scarves worn by the Bride and Groom together, signifying their unity and ‘tying the knot’ quite literally. The couple vows to treat others with respect love, compassion, and sympathy. They also pledge to show goodwill and affection to each other’s families.