Anand karaj

About Anand karaj

Anand karaj (literally "blissful union") is the Sikh wedding ceremony, conducted in front of the Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikh holy book) at a gurudwara. The ceremony features:

• Four laavan — sacred wedding hymns composed by Guru Ram Das, each sung by the granthi (priest) while the couple circumambulates the Guru Granth Sahib four times
• Each laav represents a stage of married life: duty to God, mutual love, detachment from worldly concerns, and harmonious union with the divine
• Vegetarian langar — community meal served to all guests after the ceremony
• Modest dress code — heads covered for both men and women inside the gurudwara
• No alcohol or smoking on gurudwara premises

The anand karaj is a religious ceremony, not a venue-based one — the venue is the gurudwara itself. Couples often have a reception at a banquet hall after the ceremony at the gurudwara.

Related terms

• Mandap — The ceremonial canopy under which a traditional Hindu wedding is conducted — typically a four-pillared structure with floral decoration, central platform, and seating for the couple, parents, and priest.
• Reception — The post-wedding celebration where the newly-married couple formally receives extended family, friends, and community — typically the largest event of the wedding sequence.
• Jaymala — The Hindu wedding ritual where the bride and groom exchange floral garlands — symbolizing mutual acceptance and the start of their married life together.