Indian weddings are not just ceremonies; they are grand celebrations full of emotions, colours, rituals, and traditions that have been passed down through generations. The most fondly cherished part of these weddings is the tradition of singing "geets"—folk songs that are sung at some of the pre-wedding and wedding ceremonies. These songs, typically sung by the women of the family, create an atmosphere of happiness, intimacy, and nostalgia.
Geets carry great cultural, emotional, and social significance. Geets are more than just music; they are about stories, jokes, and keeping up with traditions that unite the present generation with the past. In this article, we explore the importance of geets at Indian weddings, differences in geets from various regions, and the role geets play in making family ties stronger and preserving heritage.
The Cultural Significance of Geets in Indian Weddings
Music has never been left out in Indian celebrations, and weddings are not an exception. Geets, which are conventional folk songs, have been a vital part of wedding celebrations for centuries. They are performed at different ceremonies such as Haldi, Mehendi, Sangeet, and Vidai, and each of them carries a special meaning.
1. Upholding Tradition and Heritage
Indian weddings have strong roots in traditions, and geets are one such mode through which such traditions get imparted to young generations. Many of these songs have been rendered for decades, even centuries at times, and they incorporate Indian society's values, sentiments, and convictions. Through these songs, older members of the family make sure cultural heritage does not get destroyed and younger generations know about the ancient wedding ceremonies.
Every region in India has its specific wedding songs representing its local customs. For instance:
• Punjabi weddings use lively and cheerful "Boliyan" and "Tappe," which consist of good-humoured joking between the groom's and bride's families.
• Rajasthani weddings comprise "Peepli" songs, telling stories of wedding rituals and the bride's walk to her new home.
• Bihari and Bhojpuri weddings use "Sohar" songs expressing the sacredness of marriage.
•Bengali weddings include "Ululation" and folk songs which seek divine blessings.
2. Family and Community Ties Strengthening
One of the loveliest things about geets is the way they gather people together. In contrast with contemporary wedding tunes blasted over loudspeakers, geets have family members making a conscious effort to participate in them. Women come together in groups and sing these songs, sometimes adding the dholak (the traditional drum).
These sessions provide a warm and festive atmosphere in which women of various generations unite through music and laughter. Older women proudly lead the songs, while younger women memorize the lyrics and rhythms, thus ensuring continuity.
Moreover, geets foster a sense of belonging. Neighbours, relatives, and friends participate, and the wedding becomes more inclusive and warmer. In contrast to choreographed routines in contemporary Sangeet nights, geets are spontaneous and include everyone, making them more intimate and sincere.
The Emotional Intensity of Wedding Geets
Indian weddings are emotional affairs, since they represent a significant change in an individual's life. Geets encapsulate these emotions very beautifully—whether the happiness of joining together, the ribbing of the groom, the pining of the bride, or the bittersweet goodbye.
1. Feeling the Bride's Emotions
Most geets revolve around the bride, describing her feelings as she gets ready to move out of her parental house. These songs mention her childhood, her close relationship with her parents, and her fears of starting a new life.
One of the popular geets sung in North Indian weddings is:
"Babul ki galiyan chhod ke jaana,
Piya ke nagar ab bas jaana."
("Leaving the streets of my father's home,
Now I must go and live in my husband's world.")
These songs tend to move family members, particularly the bride's parents, to tears as they reminisce about the emotional burden of her leaving.
2. Fun and Ridiculous Songs
Not every geet is sentimental; lots of them have humour and mockery. Then there are some songs that go about ridiculing the groom along with his side, setting up a playful situation. The bride sings what can be humorously critical ditties directed at the bridegroom and his family. The bridegroom's party retorts back with sarcastic comebacks. Such geets give a light-hearted touch to the wedding and relax the two families.
Example from Punjab:
"Kala doriya kunwar bula le,
Munda kinna sona, rab ne bana le."
(This song praises the groom but also playfully teases him, making it a favorite in Punjabi weddings.)
3. Geets for Rituals and Blessings
There are geets sung specifically to bestow divine blessings on the couple. These geets are sung to pray for the happiness, prosperity, and peaceful married life of the bride and groom. The majority of these geets mention gods and goddesses and request them to be present and bless the wedding.
For example, in most Hindu marriages, geets are sung in the Haldi ceremony, calling upon the turmeric to bless the bride with beauty and a bright future.
Example from Rajasthan:
"Haldi ni haldi, haath upar kari le,
Tero dulha aaye re, saj ke savar ke."
(This song encourages the bride to raise her hands as haldi is applied, celebrating the arrival of the groom in her life.)
The Contemporary Impact on Wedding Geets
As times change, the practice of singing geets has also changed. Although a lot of families continue to uphold the tradition, the impact of Bollywood and digital music has transformed wedding celebrations. The Sangeet ceremony, which was once all about singing folk songs, has now turned into a dance-oriented ceremony with choreographed acts on Bollywood songs.
But efforts to bring back geets are being made by many families and music culture lovers. Young brides now insist that their grandmothers and aunts impart these classical songs to them, while there are some communities which hold specific folk music evenings during wedding festivals. Social networking sites and YouTube too have been helpful in making the tradition remain active by keeping in circulation scarce and forgotten wedding geets.
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