Haldi ceremony or haldi rasam is one of the pre-wedding rituals which is an integral part in Indian weddings. This ritual is celebrated with much vibrancy and enthusiasm. It is a visually striking ritual among all the rituals and traditions celebrated in an Indian wedding and hence, it demands for visually striking outfits not only for the bride and the groom, but also for friends, families and the guests who attend this function. There is a common dress code which people follow in this ritual, and that is to wear a yellow coloured outfit, whether it is an Indian lehenga or a saree. Yellow is in fact the dominant colour in this ceremony and it symbolises different aspects of Indian culture, tradition and spirituality. This colour comes with a deeper significance and therefore, a haldi ceremony is one of the most cherished traditions in an Indian wedding. An Indian wedding is in fact considered to be pious and sacred in so many ways as it is not just the union of two souls, but is also the union of two families. Therefore, out of all the weddings in different cultures of the world, Indian weddings are unique and different.
In this article we shall be looking at the significance of the colour yellow in the haldi ceremony. There are other pre wedding rituals such as mehndi and sangeet, however, the haldi ceremony is something which is distinctive in its own way. One of the reasons why the dress code is kept yellow is the fact that in this ritual the bride and the groom are applied haldi on their skin which is known as turmeric paste in English and hence in order to match and coordinate with the colour of haldi, people wear yellow colour attires. You can get these attires easily from different online stores. Like A Diva is an online store in the UK where you will get different designs of traditional and contemporary Indian outfits for different occasions, including haldi ceremony, such as, a yellow saree, lehenga, Indo western outfit and so on.
Let us now have a look at some of the significance of the colour yellow in the haldi ceremony.
Cultural significance
The ritual and tradition of wearing a yellow colour outfit in a haldi ceremony comes with a deep rooted cultural significance in India. The colour yellow is associated with or symbolises purity, auspiciousness and prosperity. This colour holds a great significance in the tradition and culture of India and thus, is an ideal choice for such an occasion which is sacred and joyful. You can wear different types of outfits for this occasion ranging from a yellow lehenga to a yellow sharara suit.
The symbol of the colour yellow
The colour yellow when comes in context with haldi ceremony holds a rich symbolic significance. The colour yellow represents the sun which further symbolises light, power and fertility. The sun has life-giving properties and this concept has been used by the people of India to bless the couple with a life full of prosperity and abundance. The colour yellow also signifies purity and a new beginning, it removes all the impurities from life and hence it is one of the auspicious colours in an Indian wedding ceremony.
Turmeric/haldi is the main ingredient
As already mentioned, one of the primary reasons why people wear yellow coloured attire in a haldi ceremony is because of the turmeric paste which is yellow in colour. It is a bright yellow coloured spice which comes with a deep rooted cultural significance in India. The turmeric is mixed with other ingredients to create a paste which is further applied on the skin of the bride and groom. This yellow colour of the turmeric paste is reflected in the yellow coloured attires worn by people in this ceremony which further creates culturally significant and visually harmonious moments.
The religious belief and blessing
It is believed that the colour yellow is a great significance of blessing and protection to the bride and groom in an Indian wedding. By wearing yellow attires and applying haldi, they seek the blessing of the spiritual and divine power and the elderly members of the family. Apart from that it is believed that the colour yellow wards off all the evil spirits and hence, people wear this attire on this sacred ceremony. The colour yellow is also associated with Indian deities, like lord Vishnu/Krishna and devi Laksmi who are the guardians of prosperity, love and wealth. By wearing yellow coloured outfits, the couple seeks the blessings of these divine powers.
Summing up
These are some of the important significance of wearing yellow coloured outfits in a haldi ceremony. You can wear different types of outfits for this ceremony in the colour yellow. If you are fond of sarees, there are different designer sarees in the colour yellow which you can wear in this function.
