Mandap Mahurat :

This ceremony is undertaken at the outset of most auspicious events. Hence, the families of the bride and the groom perform this ceremony in their homes a few days before the wedding. The families pray to Lord Ganesh the Hindu God who is believed to remove all obstacles and seek his divine blessing. The puja is performed by an acharya or priest in front of a sacred fire.

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Griha Shanti :

This is an important puja or prayer session and is conducted at the bride's home as well as the groom's. A mahurat or auspicious time is chosen for the puja after matching the horoscopes of the prospective bride and groom. This ritual springs from the belief that the stars and constellations exert tremendous influence on the lives of human beings. Any disturbance in the stars can cause harm or clashes in the marital relationship and the lives of the couple. The purpose of the puja is to bring peace among the stars. The puja for Griha Shanti is conducted by an acharya with the family members and relatives of the bride's father participating in the rituals.

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Jaan :

This ritual involves the groom arriving at the house of the bride to seek the blessings of his mother-in-law. He must bow his head and clutch his nose. This gesture symbolises his humility and understanding of the tremendous sacrifice that his future wife is about to make. She will, after all, be leaving behind a life without cares, changing her name and taking on the responsibilities of running his household. The groom's prospective mother-in-law blesses him and performs a small ritual to ward off the evil eye. She also tries to catch his nose as she reminds him that he is the taker since he will be taking her daughter away and they are the givers.

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