Barat

One of the common elements in a
modern northern Indian marriage
ceremony, in which the groom is
brought in a procession to the wedding site, escorted by his (mostly
male) relatives and friends. The barat
evokes the symbolism of a royal procession in which the groom is the king,
at least for the day. The groom most
commonly rides a gaily decorated
white mare, although any means of
transportation representing his
importance is acceptable—from an
elephant to a horse-drawn carriage to
an automobile strung with garlands.
In keeping with the royal imagery, the
groom often wears a crown or ornaments made of tinsel. The entire procession is usually accompanied by a
marching band, in the role of the heralds who march before the royal presence; the band will often stop along
the way to play, at which time the participants will dance around them.
Although the groom usually remains
reserved throughout the barat—in
keeping with the gravity of the occasion—for the rest of his companions, it
is a time for joking, laughing, dancing,
and celebration immediately before
the wedding. The barat may also
involve the consumption of liquor,
although many more conservative
Hindus frown upon this element.