BARAAT |
BARAAT
Baraat is and always will be a celebration of the groom. This ritual is celebrated in all Indian weddings, of course, with different names. This baraat is the official procession of the bridegroom from the residence to the place of the wedding. The groom gets ready and climbs on to the white horse (mare) or godi and the procession begins; sometimes it is a vintage car that carries the groom.
Other variations are a decorated elephant, or a luxury car for the procession and a mobile DJ for portable music.
The baraat is traditionally a long and large procession. It will usually have a band, trained professional dancers and of course, the friends and relatives of the bridegroom.
The horse is usually decorated well and fed properly before the baraat begins. There is usually a warming up before the baraat procession starts, where the band, usually the dhol group, or a brass band and the dancers perform in front of the crowd gathered for the procession. The dance and dhol are infectious and it is common to see the guests joining hands with the dancers and performing, to the foot tapping music of the dhol.
There may be variations in the baraat rituals, where sometimes it is a males only affair, without dance and all; it is a ritual that connects all religions together, as it is part of Hindu, Muslim and Sikh weddings all over the sub-continent. Here are a few lovely captures for you.