RomanceEverAfter

History & Cultures -India:  The Sindhi Wedding

The Seven Steps (Sapta Padi)

Seven is an important number in Hinduism and you and your groom walk around the fire (Agni Parinayai) seven times after God's blessing has been invoked by offering samagree (a pungent mix of sandalwood, herbs, sugar, rice, ghee and twigs). Some communities, such as Gujarati, require you to walk around the fire only four times. 

As you walk, you both make offerings to the fire, touch each other's hearts and pray for the union of your hearts and minds as well as reciting Vedic hymns to the gods calling for wealth, good luck and fidelity. As you are walking, your groom recites:

"First now, they bring to you in bridal procession this Surya, guiding her steps in circular motion. Return her now, O Agni, to her husband as rightful wife, with hope of children to come."

As you are walking, your sister (or another female relative), reads a passage from the Holy Scriptures (Geeta).

At the end of each circling of the fire, both of you stand on a stone (Shilarohana, the mounting of the stone) and pray for your love to be firm. While you are standing on the ground, your groom says, "Come, beautiful one," and let you put the tip of your right foot on the stone. He encourages you to stand on it by saying, "Come, step on the stone: be strong like a stone. Resist the enemies: overcome those who attack you."

The ritual of The Seven Steps is the most important part of the ceremony where the two of you walk seven steps together, either forwards or round the fire. At each step, you both ask for blessings. 

This is the most important rite of the entire ceremony.  Here the bride and the bridegroom take seven steps together around the nuptial fire (Agni) and make the following seven promises to each other: