A wedding, for many, brings thoughts of love, family gatherings, tradition and beautiful attire. It is just the same for the people of Manipur.

Situated in the northeastern corner of India, Manipur is known for its handicrafts and festivals, and is also known for its beautiful hills, flowers and pristine natural beauty. Manipur is home to 33 distinct tribes. With diversity so great, one is sure to find many treasures… One such is the traditional Manipuri wedding known for its grandeur and fusion of colour, culture and tradition born of a mixture of elements of Hinduism and age-old Meitei culture.

For any bride, her bridal attire is an important part of the wedding. A Manipuri Hindu bride wears a dress called potloi, which is usually red and consists of layers of heavily starched cotton cloth, embellished with mirrors, beads and sequins made of brass. With this, the bride wears an intricately embroidered blouse of dark green suede.

The outfit is completed with a golden head dress called jhapa which is decorated with motifs of small butterflies. It is said that the jhapa was introduced by Rajkumari Bor Saheb Ongbi Sanatombi Devi.

The groom’s attire consists of a white cotton dhoti or wrapped pants, kurta and a turban, locally known as kokyet. The turban is made of starched hand-woven cloth, decorated with silk lace in some cases. Earlier only noble men were allowed to wear the silk lace, however today it is be worn by most people.

Both the bride and groom wear white clay tilaks, locally known as chandan. Vaishnavites - or followers of Lord Vishnu - use a patterned tilak, which is drawn from the forehead to the tip of the nose.

Before the groom leaves for the bride’s house, he seeks the blessings from the local deities of the Meiteis - Sidaba mapu, Goddess Leimar enbi, Lord Sanamahi, Lord Pakhangba followed by seeking blessings from his own his parents. He then sits on a mat, in the verandah of his house, and performs certain rituals. He touches paddy, rice, gold, silver, honey, milk and other items placed in front of him. These items represent the basic material needs of life.

After the completion of this ritual, the groom starts his yatra or journey to the bride’s home. A band of musicians leads the procession followed by a row of married women carrying earthen pots or gifts. Then come the bridegroom and his friends followed by the rest of the groom’s party.

At the wedding venue, three married women - all closely related to the bride - receive the groom. The reception is held with people holding burning sticks, throwing paddy into the fire, while the priest chants mantras.

The entire ceremony takes place in the courtyard of the bride’s maiden home, around the sacred tulsi or the holy basil plant.

The wedding ceremony is held while singers and drummers perform the nata sangkirtana, a dance that has now been given a UNESCO heritage status.

With the breathtaking landscape of Manipur as the backdrop, it is a little wonder that a Manipuri wedding is truly colourful and memorable.

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