Haldi ceremony
The pre-wedding rite in which turmeric paste is applied to the bride and groom.
Also: pithi, gaye holud, mangala snanam, turmeric ceremony
The haldi ceremony takes place a day or two before a South Asian wedding. Family and friends apply a paste of turmeric, sandalwood, rose water and oil to the faces, arms and feet of the bride and groom, usually with songs and play. Names include pithi in Gujarat, gaye holud in Bengal, haldi in the north and mangala snanam in the south. Turmeric is held to bring auspiciousness, ward off evil and give a glow, in tradition and not as a medical claim. The yellow stains are expected, and the guests, in yellow clothes, get splashed. Similar customs appear in Nepal, Bangladesh and the Indian diaspora.