Varamala

What it is

The varamala is an old Indian garland, and it is best known today for the wedding rite that carries its name. The Sanskrit word means boon garland, while the other common name, jayamala, means victory garland. Rose flowers are the traditional choice, and other flowers are used too. Couples in different regions have their own ways of making it. In recent times some brides and grooms wear garlands strung from rupee notes instead of flowers, and other local variations have appeared. The garland is usually placed around the neck, and it is a visible sign of the promise made in the ceremony.

Stories in the epics

Hindu storytelling gives the garland a long past. In the churning of the ocean, the Samudra Manthanam, Lakshmi rises from the waters and garlands Vishnu with lotus flowers, taking him as her divine consort. The Mahabharata tells of Draupadi, who chooses Arjuna by garlanding him at her svayamvara, the rite where a bride picks her husband. In Bul Sharma's retelling of the Ramayana, Sita garlands Rama after he wins her hand at the Sita Swayamvara and breaks the Pinaka bow; that episode is not in the older Ramayana. Accounts of Parvati and Shiva's marriage include the same gesture.

How it is kept

The exchange happens inside the wedding, with both families and guests present. The bride and the groom place garlands on one another, and both take part. The action says what words often say as well: each of them accepts the other as a partner for life, and each promises respect. Once the garlands are on, the pair are understood to have agreed to the marriage. The rite is short. Its weight lies in what it stands for rather than in anything elaborate, which is why it is remembered as one of the best known moments of a Hindu wedding.

Marriage by garland

Garlands also appear in a different kind of union. The Manusmriti recognises a form of marriage called gandharva, which it treats as non-righteous. Here two lovers wed by exchanging garlands, with no rituals performed and no consent sought from their families. The varamala of a formal wedding and the garland of this union use the same object, but the settings differ. At a wedding the exchange happens before relatives and priests; in a gandharva marriage it is the whole of the marriage, made by the pair alone.

How Varamala is kept

The bride and the groom place garlands on one another during the wedding, in front of family and guests, and both take part. The exchange is the sign that each accepts the other as husband or wife, and with it comes a pledge of lifelong respect. Flowers, usually roses, are the traditional material, though some couples today choose other things, such as rupee notes.

When and where

It belongs to the wedding ceremony and is kept during it, not on a date of its own. The sources set no month, season or festival for the exchange, so its timing is the timing of the marriage itself.

Hindu weddings in India are where it belongs, and India is the only country the article names. The garland is an Indian one, and the rite is found across regions, with local styles. The sources name no particular city or town as its home.

What Varamala means

The garland carries the whole weight of the promise. By placing it, the bride and groom say in public that they accept one another, and that they will treat one another with respect for the rest of their lives. In the old stories the same gesture marks a choice freely made: Lakshmi takes Vishnu, Draupadi takes Arjuna. So the flower around the neck is less ornament than statement.

Questions people ask about Varamala

See also

SaptapadiThe seven-step ritual that finalizes a Hindu marriage, observed across India.MatchmakingThe custom of using a trusted intermediary to introduce partners for marriageSvayamvaraAn ancient Indian noble assembly where a bride chose her husband among suitorsHindu weddingA traditional Hindu marriage ceremony involving sacred rituals and vows witnessed by fire.

Good reading and sources

• Varamala on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-12.