Every country has its own culture. Every culture has its own occasions to celebrate. But there is one occasion which is celebrated by all the cultures all over the world. That particular occasion is marriage. The union of two people is considered holy everywhere and hence it is celebrated in grand scale. In a country like India where multiple cultures reside, the rules of a wedding differ from region to region. Along with the rule, the dresses too are quite different from one another. In this oneHOWTO article we will tell you what a Hindu groom wears to his wedding.
Safa - turban
Safa is a headgear which is worn by the groom especially for the wedding. It is also known as the wedding turban. It is actually a long plain piece of cloth (sometimes embroidered or printed) which is wound around the head of the groom. There are various types of safa depending on the color, fabrics and the designs on them.
Yesteryear, safa was tied on the head but now readymade safas are available in the market. The readymade safa is easy to put on and is less constricting than the one which is tied to the head.
Adornment on the safa
From the time of kings, safa used to be a symbol of pride. So, kings used to adorn it with broaches or bird feathers. The same tradition is carried on till now. A heavily ornate broach is placed in the centre of the safa. The broach may contain a large sized precious stone, even a diamond and other various precious or semi precious stones. Bird feathers can also be placed on the safa. Nowadays simple white feathers are used instead of the elaborate peacock feathers. Also, sometimes the side of the turban i.e. safa is adorned with chunky jeweled chains.
Sehra
Sehra is an optional wear. Not every groom needs to have sehra but in some Hindu communities it is a mandatory part of the groom’s attire. The sehra is actually long chains of flowers which are vertically sewn on a piece of cloth. The sehra is then attached to the turban. It falls in front of the eyes of the groom, blocking his view.
According to Hindu culture, the grooms are forbidden to see the face of the bride before the wedding. So, sehra acts as a curtain for the groom till the time the priest asks him to push it aside.
Dress
The dress of a Hindu groom differs from region to region. But the most popular attire is the sherwani. Sherwani is a long top like outfit which extends till the groom’s knees. It is full sleeved, usually with an ornately embroidered collar. It can also have small motifs all over it. It is worn over a tight fitting churidar pant, usually of the same color. Sometimes contrasting churidar are worn too. Sherwani comes in a variety of colors ranging from neutral colors such as cream to dark colors such as royal blue or maroon.
Those who don’t want to go for the traditional sherwani, choose achkan. The Achkan is somewhat similar to sherwani but differs in the length. The length of achkan ends at mid-thigh. Also, it is made of lighter fabric as compared to sherwani. That’s why it is more comfortable and gives a classy modern look. It is also the most preferred attire for a Hindu groom during summer season.
The third and the most traditional attire of the groom is the Dhoti Kurta. Dhoti refers to a 5 yards long piece of cloth which is wrapped around the waist in a specific way. In some cultures such as among Bengalis, one end of the dhoti is held in the groom's hand. Nowadays, ready made dhotis are available which you don’t need to wrap around the waist. You can just wear it as pants and it will look the same as the original dhoti.
Take a look at our article on the best male attire for a wedding for more information.
Image: exportersindia.com
Footwear
The favorite footwear for an Indian groom is the mojari. It emerged during the Mughal era and soon became popular due to its rich embroidery and royal look. It is made of leather and the part near the toes, it curl upwards. For weddings, grooms usually choose heavily embroidered mojari encrusted with gems, mirrors and even shells.
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