• By Rinkaj Solanki

WHAT IS A WEDDING MANDAP?

A Mandap is a covered structure with pillars constructed temporarily for a Hindu or Jain wedding. 

Traditionally, The main wedding rituals take place under the mandap.

It is usually made of wood, although now modern materials are also used. 

It consists of 4 pillars supporting a frame, royal chairs for the bride and the groom, side chairs for parents, and a pedestal for the sacred fire.

A Mandap serves as the altar in Indian weddings, specifically for Hindu and Jain ceremonies. 

People pay attention to beautify the mandap with floral decorations and bells, just like a stage where guests and family witness the couple wed.

6 DIFFERENT TRADITIONAL MEANINGS OF A WEDDING MANDAP: –

1. Entering The Next Stage Of Life

• As the Hindu Vedas state- The four pillars of the mandap signify the four stages of life: Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha, and Sanyasa. 
• It is said that in the various wedding ceremonies performed under this mandap, the groom steps out of his ‘Brahmacharya’ and becomes a Grihastha (a householder).
• It is also believed by some people that the pillars symbolize the four important aspects of human life – Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha – and the husband and wife swear to uphold these in their life together. 

2. Gratitude To The Five Elements Of Life Before Beginning A New Phase

• The mandap is also believed to represent the Universe under which the man and woman decide to enter marital life. 
• Stacks of pots, also known as – “chori”  are decorated with velvet cloth of exuberant colors, embroidery, and stones and kept at the four corners of the mandap.
• These pots represent the four main elements – Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. The 5th element i.e Space is symbolized by the canopy on top.

3. Remembering Nature’s Gifts 

• Whenever we recall a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony we are unconsciously reminded of the red and gold(yellow) colors used in various decorations. 
• These colors mean prosperity, purity, and love. So these are widely used in wedding mandap decorations.
• You will notice tints of these colors in almost whole mandap decorations- flower garlands, silks, turmeric, and kumkum and the staple green color from the banana leaves, betel leaves, and mango leaves. 
• So in all the wedding mandap reminds the bride and groom and their family members of the happiness in nature’s beauty.

4. Balance Of The Mind, Body, And Soul

• A brass or silver pot also known as Kalash is placed in front of the bride and groom. 
• It is a symbolic representation of the human body, topped with a coconut that represents the head or mind of a human. 
• The coconut is then decorated with five mango leaves used to showcase the 5 senses.
• The Kalash is filled with holy water usually from Ganga or any other holy river. 
• In Hindu culture, this denotes that the soul that occupies the human body is ‘pure’.
• This Kalash is placed on a plantain leaf covered with raw rice or paddy –for prosperity, fertility, and wealth.
• The ‘poorana kumbam’ signifies a balance of the body, mind, soul, and the five senses in the bride and groom. 
• This is a crucial tradition in marriages since the foundation is centered around producing healthy descendants of sound body and mind.

5. The Holy Fire – Agni Saakshi

• According to the Hindu Vedas, Agni or ‘Holy Fire’ stands for purity and spirituality. 
• It is a crucial part of any auspicious event in the Hindu religion. The sacred fire is termed to be ‘The Witness’ to wedlock. 
• All the sacred wedding rituals – the vows, saat pheras, etc., takes place in front of the Agni Kund, by burning fragrant herbs, ghee, raw rice, and millets. 

6. Celebrations For A New Beginning 

• It is made such that the mandap usually overflows with fruits, flowers, pulses, silks, and gold on the day of the wedding. 
• The bride and groom are laden with gold and all things opulence, while the offerings made to the Almighty and the priests are also heavisome 
• These gestures represent welcoming new beginnings with prosperity.
• Elders pass on good wishes and blessings to the newlyweds.
• This marks the beginning of an abundant and prosperous life of the newly married couple.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF BOOKAMANDAP IN YOUR WEDDINGS?

We value all cultures and traditions. 

Bookamandap helps you design your wedding mandap in a way that has all the auspicious aspects and the modern aesthetic that you crave. 

We use fabrics, lights, crystals, flowers, Wrought Iron unique shapes, and other materials but keeping proper check that everything is placed in a way that ensures all the rituals are fulfilled under proper traditional setup and customs.