The bridegroom and the bride have garlands of flowers on their necks. The bridegroom is called var-raja, i.e., a husband king lit. the loving king) and the bride is called Kanya.

The Arrangements at the place of Marriage.
The bridegroom is the first to take his seat in the room where the marriage is to be celebrated. The bride comes in afterwards. The bridegroom takes his seat on the right hand of the bride, the right hand being a place of respect. On the two sides of the bridegroom and the bride, there are two trays of rice on two stands. On the stand by the side of the bride there is a small metallic pot containing ghee (clarified butter) and molasses. On the stands near the bride and the bridegroom there burn two candles. There stands a servant holding in one hand a censer with a burning fire and in another a little frankincense.

Marriage Witnesses.
The bride and the bridegroom have each a marriage witness. The nearest relations generally stand as witnesses. Usually married persons and not bachelors are preferred as marriage witnesses.


III. THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY.

(A) PRELIMINARY RITUAL.

The Curtain of Separation and Its removal.
The bride and the bridegroom are at first made to sit opposite each other, separated by a piece of cloth held between them by two persons as a curtain, so that they may not see each other. Their hands are joined and the curtain is held over the hands. It is dropped after the hand-fastening ceremony. This part of the ritual signifies that the separation which hitherto existed between them, no longer exists now, and that they are now united in the bond of matrimony. As long as the curtain is held between them, they sit opposite each other, but on its removal, they are made to sit side by side. This also signifies that they, who were separate upto then, are now united together.

Marriage Knot.
When the bride and bridegroom seat themselves opposite each other, separated by a curtain, the two officiating priests pass round the chairs of both a piece of cloth, so as to enclose them in a circle. This circle symbolizes unity. The ends of the cloth are tied together with the recital of the sacred formula of Ahunwar or Yatha Ahu Vairyo. This signifies the tying of the marriage knot.

Hand-fastening.
When the couple sit opposite each other, separated by a cloth curtain, the officiating senior priest places the right hand of one in the right hand of the other and fastens or unites them with the recital of the sacred Ahunwar formula. He fastens them with raw twist, which he puts round the hand seven times.

Encircling with the Twist.
After fastening the hands, the raw twist is passed round the pair seven times with several recitals of the Ahunwar prayer.
It is then passed seven times round the marriage knot of cloth described above. The - process of encircling indicates union. The raw twist itself can be easily broken, but when several threads, e.g., seven in the above case, are twisted into one, they cannot easily be broken. So, this ceremony indicates a wish that the tie of union, in which the couple is now united, may not easily be broken.

Throwing the Rice.
The bride and bridegroom are given a few grains of rice in their left hands when their right hands are fastened together. At the close of the above ritual of hand-fastening, of tying the marriage knot, and of encircling the couple, the servant who holds fire in a vase places some frankincense on it. This is a signal for the couple to throw the rice they hold in their hands over one another. This process is watched at times with some interest by the friends of the bride and the bridegroom. The one that throws rice first over the other, is said to win. This is, as it were, a race of love. "Who won, the bridegroom or the bride?" is a question often heard in the assembly round the couple. This is to signify that the one who throws rice first, thereby indicates that he or she will be foremost in loving and respecting the other. The throwing of rice is followed by the clapping of hands by the assembly. This expresses the approval and goodwill of the assembly for the union of the couple.

(B) THE ASIRWAD, THE CEREMONY PROPER.
The solemn part of the Ceremony. The Asirwad Prayer.

Now follows what may be called the strictly religious part of the ceremony, which is performed by two priests. This consists of:

1. Preliminary blessings.

2. Questions to the witnesses and to the marrying couple.

3. Joint address by the two priests.

1. Preliminary Benedictions.
The two officiating priest stand before the marrying couple, the senior priest before the bridegroom and the junior before the bride. The senior priest then recites in Pazand the following words of benediction:

"May the Creator, the Omniscient Lord, grant you a progeny of sons and grandsons, plenty of means of provision, heart-ravishing friendship, bodily strength, long life, and an existence of 150 years."

To make the matter doubly or trebly sure the questions are repeated three times.

3. Joint Address by both the priests.
Then follows a joint address to the marrying couple by both the priests. This address consists of: (a) Admonitions, (b) prayers, and (c) benedictions.

(a) The admonitions consist of some practical advice about one's behavior in life.

(b) In the recital of the prayer, they pray to God to confer upon the couple certain moral and social virtues which are said to be the characteristics of the 30 Yazatas or angels who give their names to the days of a Parsi month.

(c) In the benedictions, certain departed worthies of ancient Iran are mentioned by name, and it is wished that the pair may be blessed with the virtues and characteristics which had made them famous.

The ceremony ends with the recital of the Tan-dorosti prayer, which is a form of benediction.