Indian wedding glossary · Before the wedding
What is Chunni chadana?
Also written: Chunni ceremony, chunni chadhana
Chunni chadana is the Punjabi custom where the groom's mother and female relatives drape a red chunni over the bride's head to welcome her into their family.
- Who keeps it
- Punjabi Hindu and Sikh families, and many families in Delhi and Haryana.
- When
- At the roka, sagai or kurmai, before the wedding.
About Chunni chadana
What should you know about Chunni chadana?
The chunni is usually red, heavy and embroidered, often given with jewellery, a set of clothes, mehndi, sweets and dry fruit. The groom's mother places it over the bride's head, and the women of the family bless her and feed her something sweet.
In many families it happens at the roka or engagement. Some families do it again closer to the wedding. It is one of the first gifts the bride receives from her new family.
In the order of functions
Where does Chunni chadana come in an Indian wedding?
At the roka, sagai or kurmai, before the wedding.
- Before the weddingFixing the match, the engagement, the date and the card.
- The functionsPujas, haldi, mehndi, sangeet and the family days before the wedding.
- Wedding day ritualsFrom the baraat to the pheras, nikah and anand karaj.
- After the weddingVidaai, the new home, the reception and the first visits.
Planning your own days? The free wedding function order planner puts your functions in a sensible order with dates.
On the card
What do families write on the invitation for Chunni chadana?
Join us for the roka and chunni ceremony of Riya, with Arjun's family, on Sunday, 12 January, at 1 pm.
Related words
Words that go with Chunni chadana
- Roka
Roka is the small family ceremony where the bride's and groom's families formally agree to the match, bless the couple and exchange sweets, gifts and shagun.
- Kurmai
Kurmai is the Sikh engagement ceremony, usually held at a gurdwara or at the groom's home with an ardas, where the bride's family blesses the groom and gives him gifts.
- Sagai
Sagai is the Hindi word for the engagement ceremony, where the bride and groom exchange rings in front of both families and the wedding is formally announced.
- Shagun
Shagun is an auspicious gift, most often cash in an envelope ending in one, such as ₹101, ₹501 or ₹1,100, given at the roka, engagement, wedding and other family occasions.
- Chooda
Chooda is the set of red and ivory-white bangles a Punjabi bride wears from her wedding day, given by her maternal uncle at the chooda ceremony on the wedding morning.
Questions
Chunni chadana, answered
What is Chunni chadana?
Chunni chadana is the Punjabi custom where the groom's mother and female relatives drape a red chunni over the bride's head to welcome her into their family.
Which families celebrate Chunni chadana?
Punjabi Hindu and Sikh families, and many families in Delhi and Haryana.
When does Chunni chadana happen in the order of wedding functions?
At the roka, sagai or kurmai, before the wedding.
What do families write on the invitation for Chunni chadana?
Join us for the roka and chunni ceremony of Riya, with Arjun's family, on Sunday, 12 January, at 1 pm.
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