Indian Wedding Games List That Will Add a Shade of Custom and Fun to Your Function

It is always of great fun to see the simple and ritualistic Indian traditional games list in wedding ceremonies.  While every wedding-related event is observed according to the long-established Rasams and customs, these wedding games intervene in the traditional ways to create a space for some lighter moments of fun, frolic and mirth

There are different types of games which are played at respective stages and times in the long chain of wedding events. Some of these are part of the ongoing wedding ceremonies while some are post wedding games. A closer observation of each game played at a particular juncture of the ceremonial functions shall reveal the fact that each game in this Indian traditional games list bears its own significance and meaning pertaining to some practical aspect of the new couple’s upcoming life of togetherness.

Add a little amusement to your fun, yet hectic wedding functions

The wedding games have long been incorporated in the ceremonies with the purpose of bringing some relaxation and flexibility into the couple’s changing lives. In other words, the objective of the Indian traditional games list containing an assortment of amusing games is to create and develop a zone of ease and comfort between the bride and groom and their family members by adding a little merriment amidst all the rituals and customs.

Even as a spectator, it fills the friends, cousins and relatives of each side with huge excitement and fun to cheer for the bride and groom contending each other in the games. So if you are not much keen on having a boring wedding for yourself as well as for your guests, we have got you this Indian traditional games list which has been traditionally spicing up Hindu marriage ceremonies from time immemorial. Well, many have evolved over the years to fit in the new trends while most of them have retained their original flavour and charm, never to get old with time.

Here you go with the Indian traditional games list played before, during and after Hindu marriage ceremonies. With the traditional element intact, you can replenish your spirit with some dose of entertainment on your big day.

1. Rasgulla Rasam or Rasgulla Competition

A hugely common game played during Bengali weddings, the Rasogulla eating competition throws the challenge to both the families of bride and groom of “which side can devour the maximum number of Rasogulla?” This exciting challenge game ropes in a delightful experience of mixing and mingling with each other’s family and people and ending with a sweet-filled tummy. The side that ends up eating the greater number of sweets becomes the winner of the game.

2. Quickly hide the Groom’s shoes!

Grooms stay alert!  This game can give you a tough time as it all happens while you are busy getting married to the lovely bride. So while the bride and groom are getting married and the groom’s friends and family are engrossed with the marriage observations, the bridesmaids, cousin and friends steal the much-awaited opportunity to hide the groom’s pair of shoes carefully away to some out of reach niche. Now once the ritualistic marriage is accomplished, the girls ask for a handsome ransom from the groom and his party to release his pair of shoes. The poor groom is left to jostle between just two options—either bribe the bridesmaids with a customary “Shagun” or choose to leave barefoot. What an amazing post-wedding fun time!

3. Where’s Your Name?

It is perhaps the most famous and trendy traditional wedding games in India. It is a customary thing that the bride gets her would-be husband's name etched in her mehndi. Now in this game, as the name itself bears the hint, the groom has to take the challenge of discovering his own name amidst the intricate designs of the mehndi. Well, as dictates the game rules, he has no choice but to find it if he wants to take his bride home!

4. Ring Fishing—Okhli in Kannada weddings

The wedding rings of the bride and groom are put inside a considerably large bowl filled with milk, rose petals, turmeric. In order to make the rings difficult to find, some metallic objects identical by touch, like coins, nuts and bolts are jumbled with the rings. As the bowl is presented to the couple, each of them will now have to put one hand inside the bowl to grope for their rings amidst the other odd contents. The one who finds and groom are then mean to put one hand each into the bowl and search for both rings. The one to find both rings first is the winner—and the right to be the boss of the other consort in their new life is playfully conferred on him or her. 

In south Indian weddings, the same post-wedding game is played in a variant form and there it is called Okhli.

5. Find the ring finger

A popular South Indian post-wedding game in which the bride clubs her fingers and the groom has to point out her ring finger. The bride can playfully make this wedding game a difficult one for the groom by shuffling the position of her fingers to leave the groom bemused. A penalty follows if the groom fails to find the right finger.

That was a list of Indian wedding games which has traditionally been made a part of the wedding ceremonies. We hope that the games help to bring in an added air of charm and enjoyment to your special moments.

So, have we missed an important game on the list? We would love to hear it from you, along with your experience.