In traditional American culture, the engagement of a couple is usually a surprise planned out by the groom. In traditional Indian culture, the Sagaai (engagement or ring ceremony) is an event where close family and friends are invited to witness the bride and groom exchange rings, thus formally accepting each other as partners. It is an opportunity for the families to meet and become one large family. Since my brother, Parth, and his fiancé, Kristin, got engaged in the same year as us, we decided to combine our engagement ceremonies.

The ceremony starts out with a pooja (prayer) to Lord Ganesh (God of prosperity). The pooja is performed for good luck to be bestowed onto the couple and their families, so that whatever obstacles they may face will be destroyed. All auspicious ceremonies in the Hindu religion commence with a prayer to Lord Ganesh. Frequently, the tilak ceremony is combined with the ring ceremony, which involves welcoming the groom to the family by applying red vermilion on the groom's forehead. After the pooja, there is an exchange of gifts/sweets and the couple seeks blessings from both families. Following this, there is often a variety of food, games, and dancing to celebrate!