Marriage

Marriage is viewed as a Gift from God which serves the following purposes.

- To allow the couple to have sex.

- To join two families together.

- To allow the couple to share love & each other’s company.

- To produce children.

- To enable fulfillment of the householder stage of life.

As with all aspects of Hinduism, marriages can be diverse.

All Hindu weddings are carried out by a priest.

The couple take seven steps around the Havan or sacred fire as laid down in the Law of Manu.

- The first step is for food

- The second for strength

- The third for wealth

- The fourth for happiness

- The fifth for children

- The sixth for sustenance

- The seventh for unity.

In addition to this they will often throw rice into the Havan to encourage the couple’s fertility, stand on a rock to represent the stability which marriage will bring to their lives, make offerings to deities and have prayers and hymns.