STORIES BY MANYAVAR & MOHEY
Lifestyle
Beyond Blessings: The Priceless Role of Grandparents in Indian Weddings
Date 30 March 2025 Reading time: 7-10 mins
Remember the last time daadi joyfully danced to "London Thumakda" at your cousin's sangeet? Or how proud nana looked as he blessed the newlyweds at the mandap?
In the grand tapestry of an Indian wedding, grandparents weave in threads of timeless love, wisdom and nostalgia. Their presence adds a special sheen to the celebrations, making the festivities truly priceless.
As you excitedly plan your dream wedding, take a moment to reflect on these precious elders and the invaluable roles they play.
From being your rock during hectic preparations to gracing your big day with their heartfelt presence, grandparents sprinkle stardust on every wedding moment.
Let's take a deeper look into grandparents' role in a wedding.
Understanding the Indian Wedding Tradition
Indian weddings are a glorious amalgamation of customs, colours, and emotions. Each ritual brims with symbolism, seeking blessings from elders and deities. Amidst this sacred union of two souls, and often two families, grandparents hold a hallowed place.
Wedding traditions vary across India's vibrant states and communities, but the reverence for elders remains universal.
Be it the Tamil "Paadam Pokku" ceremony where the bride seeks her grandparents' blessings, or the Punjabi "Pagphere" where the groom's dada-daadi welcome the bride, grandparents' role in a wedding are etched in gold.
The Importance of Family in Indian Weddings
"Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" - the world is one family.
This Sanskrit adage encapsulates the essence of Indian weddings, where familial bonds reign supreme.
Weddings are more than a couple's union; they are a joyous confluence of extended families and communities. Hence, roles for family members in a wedding are significant.
Amidst this close-knit web, grandparents' role in a wedding is even more crucial; they are the glue holding it all together. Their life experiences and values shape our upbringing. In the flurry of wedding planning, their steady presence keeps us anchored to our roots.
Roles for Family Members in a Wedding
While the bride and groom are the stars, every family member has a cherished role to play.
Here are some wedding roles for family members:
- Parents: From fixing the match to hosting events, they are the pillars of support.
- Siblings: The ever-reliable partners-in-crime for the bride/groom, from planning to pranks!
- Aunts-Uncles: The enthusiastic event coordinators ensuring a glitch-free wedding.
- Cousins: Your squad, your dance crew, your secret-keepers.
Each of these roles for family members in a wedding contribute towards making the event a grand and emotionally touching affair.
And then there are the grandparents, the benevolent guides watching over the festivities like guardian angels. The priceless role of grandparents in a wedding simply cannot be stressed enough.
The Grandparents' Role in Wedding
Age is just a number for these sprightly spirits! Grandparents' role in a wedding extends beyond being gentle elders to active participants in the wedding revelry.
Let's cherish their sweet contributions.
Pre-Wedding Rituals and Grandparents
Grandparents' blessings are sought at every step leading to the big day, making them intrinsic to pre-wedding rituals. This essentially implies that grandparents' role in a wedding starts before the wedding itself:
- Engagement Ceremony: Their presence as the couple exchanges rings is a treasured memory.
- Haldi: Daadi-nani smear ubtan on the bride/groom invoking a golden marital life.
- Mehendi: Ajji's heirloom jadau adorns the bride's wrists as mehendi darkens her palms.
Some of these events also have wedding roles for family members other than grandparents.
For these endearing ceremonies, the grandmums often don lovely regal sarees and sometimes even their own bridal sarees in auspicious hues, while grandpas look princely in sherwanis and safas.
Grandparents' Role during the Wedding Ceremony
Grandparents' role in a wedding is of the utmost importance during the ceremony. The heart-warming highlight is watching grandparents' teary-eyed joy as you take your saat-pheras:
- Kanyadaan: Maternal grandpa often gives away the bride, a poignant moment.
- Mangalsutra & Sindoor: Dada-dadi may assist in these rituals, blessing the union.
- Pheras: Grandparents join in devotional kirtans, as the couple circles the holy fire.
Grannies exude regal charm heirloom sarees or classic kanjipurams while you shine in bridal lehengas or gowns, and grandpas sport achkans and kamarkassas - epitomes of elegance.
Post-Wedding Rituals and Grandparents
Grandparents' role in a wedding continue in post-wedding ceremonies, making the bride feel cherished in her new home:
- Grihapravesh: Dadi welcomes the bahu with an aarti, a loving embrace into the family.
- Pag-phera: Dada-dadi partake in this Punjabi ritual where the bride kicks a pot of rice.
- Reception: The new couple takes blessings from all elders, a heart-touching sight.
As with all wedding roles for family, these events also turn richer with grandparents' participation.
For these events, grandmums can opt for graceful designer sarees, while grandpas can choose sherwanis or kurta pajama sets.
The Emotional Role of Grandparents in a Wedding
Grandparents' role in a wedding extends beyond the ceremonies. Grandparents offer intangible gifts that make your wedding truly meaningful:
- Emotional Anchors: Their wise words and warm hugs are priceless during wedding chaos.
- Tradition-Keepers: They ensure customs are followed, regaling you with tales of ancestors' weddings.
- Memory-Makers: Their heartfelt toasts, impromptu jigs, and misty eyes become forever memories.
So, how can you honour these precious elders and make them feel extra-special on your big day?
- Personalised Invites: Get customized wedding cards made just for them.
- Grandparents' Toli: Organise a fun pre-wedding photoshoot with them in Indian attire.
- Special Seating: Reserve the best seats for them at all events, with comfy cushions.
- Story Sessions: Have them share their own wedding memories and record them for posterity.
Wrapping Up
As you stand on the threshold of this new chapter, take a moment to celebrate the timeless love and wisdom your grandparents bring. Their blessings are the most precious gifts you'll ever receive.
Cherish their presence, seek their guidance, and weave a forever bond that transcends generations.
The roles for family members in wedding are also just as cherish-worthy. From providing moral and emotional support to being your confidants, they are your rocks in the beautiful chaos of a wedding event.
For all your wedding wear needs, turn to Mohey - whether it's a regal saree for grandma or a princely sherwani for grandpa, we have ensembles that honour their elegance.
Let's celebrate the role of grandparents in a wedding, one heirloom-worthy outfit at a time!
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