The Significance of Garlands.

The tradition of Varmala, a beautiful garland of flowers used in Indian weddings comes from ancient times denoting a proposal of marriage. The bride would follow a practice called swayamwar and identify the husband of her choice by putting the flower garland around his neck. Consisting of flowers and threads, the garland symbolises happiness, enthusiasm, excitement, aspiration, zeal and beauty; the thread is the medium which secures these feelings and emotions. Every single thing in an indian marriage symbolises something, whether it's the different colours or things. The vibrantly coloured jaimalas are made up of sweet-smelling, freshly bloomed flowers. They are made of bright flowers so that the visual impact of it is lasting on people’s minds. Though it is very difficult to string together the garland, people still prefer it for its looks and fragrance.Usually, it is rose or jasmine that is used to make it along with small, shiny adornments. The fragrance of rose and beauty of jasmine keeps garland in Indian wedding intact and beautiful – looking even after it is stored for a few hours. These days, people also opt for artificial varmalas. They are usually made of fabric, net, foil, small embellishments and decorative pieces. They are gaining popularity these days because they are easy to handle, do not get ruined or spoiled easily and are a more viable option than a real flower garland. My next post will inform you about the significance of a necklace that the bride wears during the wedding.