The topic I have chosen to write about for my final research paper is the tradition of marriage in Catholicism and Hinduism. In my paper, I will be comparing and contrasting the similarities and differences between the Eastern religion of Hinduism and the Western religion of Catholicism when it comes to the tradition of marriage. I chose Catholicism and Hinduism because although the two religions are very unique and different from one another, they also surprisingly share numerous similarities.
In Hinduism, the importance of marriage is extremely stressed amongst both men and women. Marriages are believed to be made in heaven. Once you are married, the bond between the man and woman is presumed to last seven lifetimes, not to be broken. The concepts of Hindu marriages have been built on old traditions that have been transformed into laws. According to these traditions, a Hindu marriage is permanent and cannot be annulled. The most up-to-date Hindu marriage laws forbid polygamy. The sacrament of marriage is considered to be a religious duty that men and women are to complete. Marriage is the ultimate turning point in a man’s life as he enters into the second most significant phase of his lifetime. This is the utmost important duty of his life. Marriage is so vital to the men because it is how they pay debt to their forefathers by procreating and carrying on the family lineage. Every single custom and ritual that goes into a Hindu wedding has a deeper philosophical and spiritual meaning. Because arranged marriages are still the primary method of marrying in Hinduism, it is ultimately the parents and guardian’s obligation to find an appropriate partner for their child. It is very important that the families are content with their child’s partner because it is not only a union between the bride and groom, but also between the bride and groom’s families. Usually the male head of the household will spread the word to his friends that he is searching for a husband for his daughter. Once he attains additional information on the potential prospects, he will complete an initial screening of the men. In some traditions, the girls are supposed to marry before they reach puberty. This means that sometimes the search for a partner can begin as early as the girl reaches age six or seven. Horoscope matching between the man and woman is another very vital part of the matchmaking process. If the boy and girl’s stars are in unflawed accordance, the arrangement of the marriage ceremony will continue on.
The traditions and customs of the basic Hindu wedding will slightly vary depending on the community. “Each community has their own spin on the basic Hindu wedding ceremony based on geographical location and cultural influences” (Culturalindia.net, 2018). Hindu weddings can range from being simple yet classy to being magnificent and over the top. In some cultures, the wedding ceremonies are breathtaking and very vibrant, and in other cultures the wedding ceremonies are very modest. However, amongst the countless variations of Hindu weddings, the pre-wedding, wedding, and post-wedding rituals will typically be observed by all Hindus. Since Hindu weddings are preferably arranged marriages, one of the pre-wedding duties is to have the two families meet and agree on the details of the wedding. The families will then decide on a date for the couple to announce their engagement, and this is also known as the Engagement ceremony. During the ceremony, the families of the bride and the groom will exchange gifts between one another to represent their approval of each other’s families. Majority of the time, the date of the wedding is chosen and announced at this ceremony. “In most cultures, a Puja is held by both the bride and groom’s families. The families pray to Lord Ganesha to remove all obstacles from the couple’s life path” (Culturalindia.net, 2018).
The Hindu wedding is traditionally hosted by the bride’s parents, where the groom and his family are treated as guests. The wedding ceremony is a portrayal of how the couple first met. The groom will first go to the bride’s house where he is greeted by the bride’s parents with an arti, which is the waving of lighted lamps before a person to show respect and honor. The groom then is fed milk and honey, which is also known as the Madhu Parka ceremony. Lastly, the bride’s father will bathe the groom’s feet before the ceremony begins. As the ceremony begins, the father of the bride will give away his daughter to the groom. This is also known as a ceremony referred to as Kanyadaan. The groom will then take his bride, and they will promise to each other that they will take on a life of Dharma together. The sacred fire is then ignited at the center of the wedding ceremony so that the couple can make seven circles around the fire. At the end of the seventh circle, the couple will begin reciting the Seven Sacred Vows, which is the most important ritual of the entire wedding ceremony. After the wedding, the bride is welcomed into the groom’s house for a reception where she is also greeted with the traditional arti.
A little different than that of Hindu weddings, the Catholic Church does not stress marriage as much as Hinduism does. Instead, the Catholic religion urges people to follow their vocation; whether that be to get married, join the priesthood, or to stay single. Holy Matrimony is considered to be one of the seven sacraments and in the same way, marriage is also considered to be a sacrament to Hindus as well. A Catholic wedding ceremony is typically finished in about an hour, whereas Hindu weddings are much longer and can take up to a few hours to complete. However, unlike Hindu tradition, Catholic marriages are not arranged by parents or guardians. Instead, the couple will organically meet and typically the man will propose. Together the couple will plan their big wedding day and their life together. To get married in the Catholic church, the couple will have to complete Pre-Cana. Pre-Cana is a course the Catholic church requires that touches on subjects such as faith, conflicts, careers, finances, children, essentially planning your life together before you actually get married. The couple will meet with their parish’s priest or deacon a few times a month for about six months before the wedding date.
A Catholic wedding is typically held in either the bride or the groom’s parish church. The groom and his best man will be the first to process up the aisle and stand by the altar. Next, the bridesmaids, groomsmen, and maid of honor will down the aisle towards the altar. Lastly, the bride and her father process down the aisle. Just as a typical Catholic mass would begin, the priest starts off with a hymn followed by the opening prayer. A passage is read from both the New and Old Testaments and a Psalm is sung. The priest will read the Gospel and give his homily. Everything up until this point is the exact same as a regular Sunday morning mass with the exception of the procession. However, next is the vows and ring ceremony. The couple is given the choice of memorizing their vows, reciting them from the book itself, or having the priest recite them and the bride and groom responding “I do”. After all of the vows are said, the priest will bless the wedding rings and have the couple exchange them. After the rings are exchanged, the priest will say “You may now kiss the bride” and the couple will share a kiss. The priest will the bless the newly wedded couple with a prayer referred to as the Nupital Blessing. The mass then continues on as a regular Catholic mass would.
In conclusion, there are many apparent differences between a Hindu and Catholic marriage and wedding ceremony. Hinduism stresses that marriage is a very vital part of your life, whereas Catholicism just accepts that it isn’t the path for everyone. Catholicism allows you to pick your wife or husband, whereas in Hinduism arranged marriages are the norm. Catholicism also doesn’t stress that women need to get married by a certain age or marry based on someone’s horoscope sign. However, with as many differences Hinduism and Catholicism share on the topic of marriage, there are also many similarities. In both religions marriage is considered to be a sacrament where the father of the bride essentially “gives away” their daughter to the groom. In both ceremonies the bride and groom exchange vows. I was very surprised and interested to explore all the differences and similarities that Hinduism and Catholicism share in the tradition of marriage.