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Sikh Ceremonies
 

Introduction
The word 'Sikh' originates from the Sanskrit word shishya, meaning a disciple and seeker of the truth. Sikhs believe in the existence of only one God, and in the teachings of the 10 Gurus (religious leaders or teachers), embodied in the Sikh Holy Scripture, Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Sikhism teaches the universal ideals of honesty, compassion, humility, piety, social commitment and tolerance for other religions.

The Gurus taught the basic values of freedom, brotherhood, charity, obedience, understanding, sympathy, patience, simplicity, and piety and outlined the path to spirituality in life. They considered themselves to be simply servants and said that they were human and were not to be worshipped as Gods.

Legal Requirements
UK marriage laws allow for temples to be registered for the solemnisation of marriages according to the rites of the Sikh religion. The legal requirements to be fulfilled are those that apply to civil marriages. However, if the building in which you wish to marry is in a different registration district to where you live, you need to prove to the superintendent registrar that the building is your normal place of worship. If you cannot do this, you will be required to give notice in the registration district in which the building is situated after having met the necessary residency requirements.

If there is no building in the registration district in which you live, you will be permitted to marry in a building in the nearest registration district that has one.

A superintendent registrar may also need to attend the ceremony. If the building in which you intend to marry is not registered for the solemnisation of marriages, you must arrange a civil ceremony beforehand to comply with the requirements of the law.

Divorce and the Sikh religion
The Sikh marriage is monogamous. In the case of a broken marriage, divorce is not possible according to the Sikh religious tradition. However, the couple are at liberty to obtain a divorce under the civil law of the land. Marriage in Sikhism is regarded as a sacred bond in attaining worldly and spiritual joy.

Preparations for a Sikh wedding

Sikh weddings are traditionally arranged marriages where both families help to choose the marriage partner for their offspring. Both of their individual agreement is sought before marriage is considered.

An engagement (called the Kurmai) is not deemed necessary but, if desired, is typically performed a week before the wedding and is usually conducted at the temple or at the groom's home. If the ceremony is performed in the temple, the Gurdwara, it starts with Milni where, after prayers, the families greet each other with the ritual exchange of garlands. Kirtan (a simple ceremony and hymns from Sri Guru Granth Sahib) is performed as people enter the Gurdwara and, with men and women sitting separately, they stand for the Ardas (the common Sikh prayer). It is traditional for the father of the bride to place one end of the groom's patka (scarf) over the bride and groom's shoulders into the bride's hands, signifying her new life with her husband. After the ceremony, the friends and families unite for the Langer (traditional meal).

If the ceremony is performed at home, the bride's family visit the groom's house and in both cases he is usually presented with a Kara (bracelet), kirpan (sword) or Indian sweets. The bride's family are presented with an Indian outfit and sweets as gifts for their daughter.

Different Sikh families have different customs for preparing the bride before her wedding. Some families have five of the bride's close relatives to stay with the bride for the days leading up to the wedding day. They comb a mixture of henna, oil and water through the bride's hair, and paint her hands and legs with henna designs. On the day before the wedding, a party of the groom and his relatives, known as the Braat (various spellings), are welcomed, given food and entertained. The party either stay at the bride's home ready for the early morning service, or travel straight to the wedding location.

What to wear
Close family members of the same sex dress the bride and groom on the morning of their wedding. The groom is dressed in white and, in some communities, the bride wears colourful robes, which are usually red with gold embroidery. The bride wears a full veil, hiding her face from the groom until after the ceremony as Islam dictates.

Guests should wear traditional clothing if at all possible. If this is not an option, then women should wear long skirts that are preferably dark and vibrantly coloured, for example red or purple. White clothing is considered to be unlucky. Both men and women should wear a head covering and remove their shoes at the door. The guests will sit on the floor of the temple throughout the marriage service that will last for approximately one and a half hours.

Continue to a typical Sikh ceremony
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