Shaadi
Definition
Shaadi is a widely used Hindi and Urdu word for marriage or wedding, used across Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, and other communities in India and South Asia. It refers both to the act of getting married and to the wedding celebration as a whole, which in Indian culture is typically a multi-day affair encompassing numerous ceremonies, feasts, and gatherings involving extended families. The term is used generically and does not denote any single ritual.
Understanding Shaadi
The word "shaadi" functions as the everyday term for a wedding throughout much of northern and central India and is understood across linguistic and religious lines. An Indian shaadi is rarely a single event; it is more commonly a sequence of functions spread over several days.
A typical North Indian Hindu shaadi may include pre-wedding events such as the roka, engagement, mehendi, sangeet, and haldi; the main wedding day with the baraat, varmala, mandap rituals, pheras, and saptapadi; and post-wedding events such as the vidaai and reception. Muslim and Sikh weddings follow their own ceremonial structures (nikah and anand karaj respectively), often surrounded by similar festive gatherings.
Indian weddings are renowned for their scale, with guest lists frequently numbering in the hundreds and elaborate arrangements for venues, catering, decor, attire, and entertainment. The shaadi is a major social and economic event that brings together extended families and communities, and the wedding industry around it is among the largest in the country.
Examples
- 1
A family planning a four-day shaadi that includes mehendi, sangeet, haldi, the wedding ceremony, and a reception.
- 2
Relatives traveling from across the country to attend a cousin's shaadi at a destination resort.
- 3
Using "shaadi" interchangeably to describe both the wedding ceremony and the entire span of celebrations.
Related Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
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