Choora Ceremony

The Choora ceremony is a pre-wedding ritual primarily observed in Punjabi Hindu and Sikh weddings, in which the bride's maternal uncle (mama) places a set of red-and-white bangles (choora) on the bride's wrists. The bride traditionally should not look at the choora before they are placed on her, so she covers her eyes while her family applies rose petals over them first.

The ceremony is intimate and emotionally significant — it is one of the last moments in the bride's family home before the wedding day, and the bangles she wears represent her status as a new bride. The choora is typically worn for 40 days after the wedding, though many modern brides wear them for a shorter period.

It is usually held in the early morning of the wedding day or the evening before, with close female relatives in attendance — 20 to 50 people. A kaleere (ornamental hangings of dried flowers and metallic decorations) are also attached to the choora by sisters and cousins. Key vendors: photographer for intimate documentary coverage.