Popular Indian wedding songs

I’m sure that you’ve seen at least one Indian movie and you have been impressed by the cultural background, the music, the colors, the beauty of the costumes and Hollywood rhythms and the spectacular joy of the crowd dancing together. India is a country with great cultural background and unique traditions concerning a whole range of events especially wedding.

Indian weddings are fabulous events with a lot of guests, most of them unknown to the future couple, many religious rituals and celebrations. Indians celebrate wedding during two or three days like in the fairytales, as a very special and sacred ceremony, the most important event in someone’s life. Most of them are arranged marriages, but there are also exceptions and from time to time love is the reason that young people marry.

Speaking about music, Indian rhythms are unique and unmistakable. In India, most wedding songs are part of the folklore or movies. Let’s see what songs can be used on an Indian wedding and when is the good time to use them.

Babul Ki Duaayein Leti Ja – Take your father’s blessings as you go

Babul ka ye ghar behna ek dinka thikana hai – This father’s home is just a day’s stay

Both are tender farewell songs from the Indian movie “Neel Kamal”, sung by Mohammad Rafi, that can be used for the father-daughter moments called the vidai. The lyrics express the feelings and wishes of a father for his daughter, on her wedding day and the feelings of a brother for his sister one day before the wedding.

Joote Dedo Paise Lelo – Hand over the shoes, take the money
The wedding ceremony has several parts. Among Indian weddings customs, there is a very interesting one. It’s called the Jutti Chupai and takes place in the moment called the phera ceremony. The groom takes off his shoes that have to be stollen by the sisters of the bride. He receives back the shoes at the end of the ceremony, only after the sisters of the bride receive some ransom money. For this moment, it is usually played “Joote Dedo Paise Lelo”, song from one of the best movies of all times “Hum Apke Hain Kaun”, sung by Lata Mangeshkar.

Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna – Keep her ready with mahendi

Mehendi Hai Rachne Wali – This mahendi will color you forever
An important moment that precedes an Indian wedding is mehendi. It’s the moment when the bride to be is painted with henna designs on the hands as well as on the feet. The painting is accompanied by lots of singing and dancing. The most popular mehendi songs are “Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna”, from “Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge”, sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Udit Narayan and “Mehendi Hai Rachne Wali” by Karishma.

Mujhse Shaadi Karogi – Will you marry me…
“Mujhse Shaadi Karogi” from the movie with the same name, sung by Udit Narayan and Sonu Nigam is fit for those who want to get a little naughty before the wedding. It’s one of the songs played on pre-wedding ceremonies considered to be one of the best choices. The lyrics are about a man who asks a woman to get married to him, promising to make her happy with all his love.