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Indian Wedding Terms

What Is Vivah? Meaning & Significance of the Hindu Marriage Ceremony

Vivah is a Sanskrit term for marriage and is commonly used in Hindu religious and ceremonial contexts to refer to the marriage itself.

Significance of Vivah

In Hindu tradition, vivah is understood as a sacred marriage and is traditionally regarded as one of the sixteen samskaras, or life-cycle rites.

History and Origins

Vivah has roots in Vedic tradition, where marriage was formalized as one of the sixteen samskaras, or sacraments, marking key life stages.

How Used In Wedding

The term appears throughout wedding invitations, ceremony programs, and religious texts as the formal word for marriage, and it's often used in names like vivah sanskar.

Related Glossary Terms

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between vivah and shaadi?
Both refer to marriage; vivah is the more formal Sanskrit term, often used in religious or ceremonial contexts.
Is vivah a religious term?
Vivah has both religious and cultural uses, but in Hindu tradition it commonly refers to marriage as a sacred life-cycle rite.

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