Kalira is the chuda which bride wears on her wedding. All Punjabis are well aware of the ‘Chooda’ ceremony that takes place on the morning of the marriage ceremony. It is an extremely emotional moment for the bride’s family as her mama (maternal uncle) makes her wear the ‘Red and White’ set of bangles marking the beginning of her married life ahead. The best Punjabi photographer you can choose is Design Aqua. It is that one clear symbol of a newly-wed girl that becomes her identity for a certain period of time till she is supposed to wear it, which could be anywhere between 45 days to a year. Here are few ideas by which you can get clicked your kaleera.
A magical entry
Wreaths of flowers and kaleeras lined the entrance to this super colorful mehendi. Shades of gorgeous pink flowers with a hint of green make for such a cute summer wedding decor. Adding the charm to this lovely entry are pretty kaleera strings. Matching with your dress you also need makeup you can go for Shruti Sharma.
Phoolon ki chadar
While the bride is walking to her Mr. Right you can get beautiful clicked by your photographer. The Chooda ceremony is also followed by the tieing of ‘Kaleeras’ on the bride’s wrist by her sister, cousins, and other female friends. Traditionally Kaleeras are a gift given to the bride as ‘shagun’ from her ‘naniyal’(maternal family). Kaleera is in the shape of a dome made from soft, rosewood wood or metal. Originally Kaleeras were made from ‘pure silver’, however, these days people usually prefer to use ones made from foil because they are never used after marriage.
Rituals
The bride is actually not allowed to see the chooda at the time of the ceremony. She has to keep her eyes closed, until the time a white cloth is tied on that. She is only allowed to see it on the evening of her marriage ceremony when she is ready to sit for pheras. As a part of the tradition, at the time of her doli, the bride is supposed to hit the kaleeras on her sister/brother or even her cousins’ and friend’s heads and the one to get hit by the kaleers is supposed to be wedded next.
Shaking of kaleera
The ritual is followed by the bride shaking her chooda and kalire worn hands on the heads of all the unmarried girls present. It is believed that if any part or leaf of the kalire falls on the head of any girl’s head, she will be the next one to get married. The next day after the wedding, one of the kalire is left at the temple with the priest for blessings and the rest are kept by the bride as a memory of her parent’s home and a memento of the wedding day. The dress was designed by Shrangar.
Match with dress
The chooda is accompanied with the bridal lehenga, which in many communities is gifted by the maternal uncle as well. Chooda ceremony is a Punjabi ritual but the same can vary in names for different cultures around the country. Not only that, it is also known to bring good luck for the newlyweds. Also, red is a very important color for a married woman as it is believed to strengthen the bond between a couple. The decoration is also necessary, so that photographer will capture beautiful moments. You can go for Vintage Nutters for decoration.
Mandap
A puja or havan is usually organized during the chooda ceremony. The kaleera are first purified with milk and rose petals. Before it is put on the bride’s wrist by her maternal uncle, all the close relatives touch the kaleera as a mark of their blessings. After that, the wrist is covered with a white cloth, as the bride cannot see the kaleera until the time of the wedding ceremonies.
The perfect shot
These ceremonies are enjoyed and cherished by all family members and close relatives, they are also quite emotional for the girl who is to be married. When asked about her feelings during the chooda ceremony, a bride confessed that it almost felt like she was breaking all old ties and starting a completely new life. She felt anxious and just wanted time to stop at that moment. She felt like everyone was bidding her away and she almost didn’t want to go.
Indian weddings are a beautiful amalgamation of feelings-both happy and sad. There is the joy of starting a new relationship and the heartbreaking thought of leaving your loved ones. But it all ends in a celebration of all emotions as the bride is bid a blessed farewell by her loved ones.
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