Anand Karaj: the order of service for a Sikh wedding ceremony
A clear, family-friendly walkthrough of the Anand Karaj — what happens, in what order, what each part means, and what guests should know.
The Baraat team7 May 20266 min read
The Anand Karaj — literally "ceremony of bliss" — is the Sikh wedding ceremony. It's short by Indian-wedding standards (most ceremonies run 90 minutes to two hours from doors-open to first-meal), it happens inside a Gurdwara or a hall set up around the Guru Granth Sahib, and the actual vows are walked, not spoken.
For couples planning their wedding, and for guests attending one for the first time, this guide explains the order of service, what each part means, and the bits of etiquette that matter.
Before the ceremony — outside the hall
The Milni, the formal meeting of the two families, happens at the entrance before the ceremony begins. The men of both families are introduced one role at a time — the brides' uncles meet the grooms' uncles, the brothers meet the brothers — with a garland exchanged and a short embrace. It's brief but loaded; this is the moment the two families officially become one.
Tea, samosas, jalebis are usually served outside while the Milni completes. Most ceremonies run a Milni of 20–30 minutes.
Entering the hall — the etiquette every guest needs
Everyone entering the room where the Guru Granth Sahib is installed:
Removes their shoes (racks are provided)
Covers their head — men typically with a patka or handkerchief, women with a chunni or scarf
Bows toward the palki (the canopied throne where the Guru Granth Sahib rests) and offers a small monetary donation (£5–£20 is standard, into the box at the front)
Sits cross-legged on the floor — men typically on one side, women on the other (though this is becoming more flexible in modern UK Gurdwaras)
The bride and groom will be brought in separately, take seats at the front facing the Guru Granth Sahib — bride on the groom's left.
The ragis (the Gurdwara musicians) sing hymns from the Asa di Var and other shabads to set the spiritual atmosphere of the room. Guests can arrive during this section without disrupting anything.
2. Ardas — opening prayer (5 min)
A formal standing prayer asking for blessings on the union. Everyone in the hall stands. The Granthi (the priest reading from the Guru Granth Sahib) leads it.
3. Hukamnama — the reading (3 min)
A passage is read aloud at random from the Guru Granth Sahib. This is treated as a message from the Guru for the couple and the gathering on the day.
4. The bride and groom are seated together (2 min)
The palla — a saffron or pink scarf — is placed connecting the groom to the bride, draped from his right shoulder, around her hand, into her lap. The palla symbolises the linking of their lives.
5. The Lavan — the four hymns and the four pheras (35–50 min)
This is the wedding itself. There are four hymns ("Lavan", composed by Guru Ram Das ji), and around each one, the couple walks slowly clockwise around the Guru Granth Sahib, the groom leading and the bride following holding the palla.
Each hymn is recited first by the Granthi and then sung by the ragis while the couple walks. The four Lavan represent the four stages of the spiritual journey of married life:
First Lavan — duty: the foundation of righteous action
Second Lavan — devotion: meeting the divine through love
Third Lavan — detachment: rising above worldly attachments
Fourth Lavan — union: blissful merging with the divine
After the fourth Lavan, the couple sits back down. They are now married. There are no separate "I do" vows in the Sikh tradition — the act of completing the four pheras with sincere intent is the marriage.
6. Anand Sahib — closing hymn (10 min)
Six verses of the Anand Sahib are recited. This is where the bliss-name of the ceremony comes from.
7. Closing Ardas — closing prayer (5 min)
Everyone stands. Final blessings.
8. Hukamnama — closing reading (3 min)
A second passage from the Guru Granth Sahib, marking the formal end of the religious portion.
9. Karah Prashad (5 min)
A sweet offering — cooked semolina, sugar, ghee — distributed to everyone in the hall. Receive it in cupped hands. It is consecrated; finish what you take.
10. Stage photographs (10–20 min)
The couple and their immediate families take photos at the front. Wider family and friends queue up. Allow time for this — most Anand Karajs run 20–30 minutes of photographs after the ceremony.
11. Langar — the community meal
A free, vegetarian meal served to every guest, sat on the floor in rows in the langar hall. This isn't a "wedding lunch" — it's an institution of Sikhism, served in every Gurdwara every day, and the wedding party joins it. There is no head table. There is no plus-ones list. Guests sit on the floor and are served.
After Langar, most guests leave. The reception is held later, usually in a separate venue.
What guests should know
Don't bring alcohol or meat into the Gurdwara — the entire premises are vegetarian, and alcohol is not permitted
Don't take flash photographs during the Lavan — the ragis will have a designated photographer or have asked the family one in advance
Don't sit with your feet pointing toward the Guru Granth Sahib — sit cross-legged or with feet folded back
Don't tip in the Gurdwara — donations to the golak (donation box) are how you contribute
Phones on silent. The ceremony is recorded; you don't need to film it
Timing the day
A typical UK Anand Karaj day:
9:30am — Bride's house: brief choora ceremony, family blessings
10:30am — Groom's house: Sehra Bandi, where the groom's turban is finalised
11:30am — Groom's baraat arrives at the Gurdwara
11:45am — Milni outside the Gurdwara
12:15pm — Doors open, guests seated
12:45pm — Ceremony begins
2:00pm — Ceremony ends, photographs
2:30pm — Langar
3:30pm — Most guests leave
6:30pm onwards — Reception (separate venue)
On the day, this is what matters
Your guests don't need to know what the Anand Sahib is. They need to know to cover their head, bow at the front, and enjoy the langar. Tell them in the wedding invite or on your wedding website.
The thing every Sikh couple wishes someone had told them: *the Lavan is the wedding*. Stay present during them. Don't fixate on the photographer. Don't worry about your mother crying. Walk slowly. Each Lavan is one chapter of the rest of your life.
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