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Anand Karaj is the name given to the Sikh wedding ceremony, literally translated as "Blissful Occassion". Sikhs regard marriage as a sacred bond of mutual dependence between a man and a woman. A true partnership in marriage is made between those who are united in spirit as well as in mind and body. Marriage is regarded as a strong bond between the bride and groom and the relatives of both families.
Based on a concept depicted in Laava, the Sikh marriage is not merely a physical and legal contract but is a fusion of the souls; a holy union between two souls, where physically they appear as two individual bodies but in fact are united as one. The couple must feel and think alike and both must be completely identified with the other, i.e. they become 'Ek Jot Doe Murti' meaning "one spirit in two bodies".
The Laava, or four stanzas, are read and then sung during the ceremony to formalize and sanctify the marriage. The Sikh religious wedding ceremony, which almost always these days takes place in a Gurdwara is held in the presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy scripture. This arrangement offers a way to bring family support into the lives of the couple if they require it. Guru Ram Das, the fourth Guru of the Sikhs has given, in the four rounds or Laava, a formula for a successful marriage . These four Shabads, describe the sacred journey of the soul through this world to the final destination, the merging with the infinite. If one follows this sacred path and applies it properly to the institution of marriage, it should results in happiness and fulfilment – Anand (Bliss). .....More
