Wedding Garland
It has been suggested that marriage is perhaps the most significant event in a Hindu family. For a young man or woman, it is the rite of passage which marks the change from what in traditional Hinduism is known as the student stage to the householder stage in life. It is of additional significance for a woman as it is also a major religious ritual marking adulthood. For boys the transition to adulthood is traditionally marked by the sacred thread ceremony.
An important part of the traditional Hindu marriage ceremony involves the bride and groom exchanging garlands and declaring to all those present that they are accepting each other willingly and voluntarily and that their hearts are in harmony, one with the other.
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