True Spirit Of Kelvan – A Beautiful Marathi Matrimony Ceremony

If there is anything that India is known for, it is its cultural diversity. With a population of 130+ crores spread across 29 states and 8 UTs, you must have definitely experienced the cultural richness that India has to offer.

Indian weddings form the core part of our traditions, and every culture has a unique set of principles and rituals that differentiate them from one another. Along those lines, the Kelvan ceremony is a pre-wedding affair that is specific to Marathi matrimony. Today, we’ll explore everything that you need to know about this eccentric Marathi pre-wedding ritual.

A Coming Together of Families 

To celebrate the coming together of two worlds, Marathi weddings have a beautiful tradition known as the Kelvan ceremony. Due to them being organized with love, care, and joy, the Kelvan can prove to be the perfect start to any couple’s journey. Let’s learn about the intricacies that make up this beautiful ceremony, and how couples and their families can make it even more special for each other.

Celebrating The Couple 

The Kelvan ceremony brings together families and friends. But another beautiful aspect is that it is also about celebrating the bridal couple themselves. The entire ceremony is meant to be a labour of love, and at every step of the way, the couple’s likes, their favourite foods are kept in mind during the planning.

An Intimate Experience

While the Marathi matrimony ceremony and reception are hosted amongst a larger number of guests, the Kelvan ceremony is a more intimate affair. It brings together the immediate members of the family for a shared meal in each other’s respective homes. This is a wonderful meet-and-greet opportunity for both families. They get to spend some quality time, know each other better and pave the way for life-long bonds. The Kelvan ceremony is hosted by both the bride and groom at each other’s homes and is a very important pre-wedding ritual. It is typically hosted after the official engagement ceremony.  

Starting With A Blessing

The Kelvan ceremony is hosted a few days before the actual marriage ceremony. It starts off with a Puja, where the bride and groom offer prayers to the family deity or Kul Devta, in the presence of close relatives. The Puja is followed by a meal.

Pre-Wedding Treat 

The Kelvan meal is one of the highlights of this ceremony. It especially generates excitement in the bride and groom for a unique reason. The menu has all the bridal food favourites and is a labour of love for the happy couple who are starting a brand new journey. Typically, the meal is a home-cooked vegetarian one served up on a banana leaf, along with a choice of sweets like gulab jamun, bananas, pastries, and balushahi. 

Exchange Of Gifts

Another delightful part of the Kelvan ceremony is the exchange of gifts between the two families. The bride is presented with a gift when she arrives with her family at the groom’s home, while the groom is presented with a gift when he visits the bride, along with his family. It’s a good idea to choose a gift based on the couple’s interests and curate it in the right spirit. 

Make It An Evening To Remember 

Some families have added some contemporary elements to this traditional ceremony – to make it more memorable and encourage bonding on a deeper level. For instance, including some games that help the families get to know each other better is a wonderful new addition. Adding some music to the evening can also lighten up the mood. 

You can also invite family members to raise a casual toast to the bridal couple and express their love and joy on the occasion. In return, the bride and groom can also say a few words, thank the hosts graciously, and add to the goodwill of the ceremony. 

So there you go, folks. That was everything that you need to know about Kelvan. Hope you found it helpful.