Sometimes they’re maybe problems for Sikhs who have been brought up in western counties such as London. They see their friends with boyfriends or girlfriends and feel that they should be able to choose their partner. The Rahit Maryada (Sikh code of conduct) says any marriage between Sikhs and those of other religions should be discouraged. It says ``a Sikhs daughter should marry a Sikh``. However customs like these are very common for some groups of Sikhs in India.But customs like these are changing in London and there is a majority of Sikhs marrying non-Sikhs.
I think arranged marriages are already breaking down in Sikh and Asian communities in London as there are more western influences like rings and so many aspects to a Sikh wedding which is not traditional and in a couple of generations or even years it will be gone.
The traditional marriage ceremony would take place in the morning and usually in their place of worship the gurwara, the wedding may also take place in the brides home, in a hired public hall or in open spaces. Before the day of the wedding there is special ceremony known as the milni engagement, where the brides family meets the grooms parents to exchange gifts such as lengths of cloth for turbans or clothing.
Bride and groom are given gifts of money.
With any Sikh marriage the guru granth sahib must be present. The groom will sit opposite the guru granth sahib and his bride who will sit on his left will then join him.
The bride would be traditionally dressed in red, saffron, or blue, while the bridegroom would usually wear a red or pink turban and an orange scarf, which would have been given to him by his mother during the service. One end of the cloth will be cut off and placed in the bride’s hand by her father. This is a symbol that they are joined together as husband and wife.
The bride would then hold it for the rest of the ceremony. Towards the ceremony prayers are sung. The bride and groom would then bow to the guru granth sahib to show that they agree to the marriage. This then follows the most important part of the ceremony the reading of the guru granth sahib known as the lavan (the wedding hymn) written by the fourth guru, Guru Ram Das. It has four verses, which are read by the Sikh performing the ceremony. Each verse explains something about marriage, and basically the love of men and women with the love of the soul of god, which is very powerfull. This is part of the fourth verse about perfect love.
``As the fourth round begins, our spirits find peace, for god enters our hearts and minds. Though the Guru’s grace, we know God’s presence, and the sweetness of god spreads through our souls and bodies,
This sweetness comes from God’s love, which keeps all that speak God’s name so that they may live in bliss.
As each verse is sung the bride and groom hold hands and walk in a clockwise direction four times around the guru grant sahib. When they have done this they are married. Everyone then joins in the Ardas prayer, speeches are then said by relatives and friends before everyone shares the Kara prashad and the meal, which then follows.
A Christian couple planning to be married in a church would first visit the minister to talk things over. He will explain the importance of marriage and will talk through with the couple any of their fears or worries.
There are certain set rules in having a traditional wedding in a church such as the bride wearing white and that her father gives her away but these rules do not have to be followed. The most important part of the service where the couple make there vows and the minister declaring that the couple are man and wife cannot be changed as this is the law in the Christian church.
A wedding ceremony in a Catholic Church.
The minister will then say to the bridegroom `N will you take N to be your wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honour and protect her, and, forsaking all others is faithful to her as you both shall live? ``.
When the bride replies `I shall? ``the minister will then say to the bride
`N, will you take N to be your husband? Will you love him, comfort him, honour and protect him, and forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live? ``
When the bride replies ``I shall ``? The couple will then face each other. The bridegroom will say to the bride `I N, take you, N, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part,
