Indian marriages are elaborate events that can last from three to seven days or more. Most Indian marriages start with an evening of ‘sangeet’ (music), where women sing and dance to the music. The other important ceremony is the ‘mehndi’ (henna), where women get henna designs painted on their hands and feet. The main marriage goes on for a day, after which there is the reception for the newly weds. Fabulous lunches and dinners are offered for the guests. The final ceremony is that of the ‘bidai’, where the bride’s family gives her a sendoff to the groom’s house.

The marriage procession you see in this poster is that of a royal family. The scene depicted here is that of a ‘baraat’, where the groom is escorted to the bride’s house in a huge procession comprising all his family members. This tradition is carried out even today. The ‘baraatis’ are the members of the groom’s families, who dance, sing and burst fireworks all the way to the bride’s house.