Anand Karaj (Punjabi: ਅਨੰਦ ਕਾਰਜ, anand kāraj) is the Sikh wedding ceremony, translating to "blissful event." Sikhs regard marriage as a sacred bond of mutual dependence between a man and a woman. A partnership of equals in marriage is made between those who are united in spirit as well as in mind and body. Marriage is regarded as a strong lifetime bond between the bride and groom and a union between both their families.
This event leads to a joining of the two families into one, creating an enlarged extended family structure where each member has a useful part to play, ensuring that the new couple are given every assistance in this new relationship and helping their start on the honorable path of grist marg ("path of the householder"). Gristi jiwan ("living as a householder") is given a very respected position in Sikh society as it is regarded as the essential basic atomic unit of a healthy community. A couple leading a happy, strong and fulfilling relationship will provide a base for a strong, united and coherent community.
The Sikh marriage is not merely a physical and legal contract but is a fusion of the souls; a holy union between two souls, where physically they appear as two individual bodies but are united as one. The couple must feel and think alike and both must be completely identified with the other, i.e. they need to become "ek jot doe murti" meaning "one spirit in two bodies."
The ceremony is held in the presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy scripture, and the Sadh Sangat, the holy congregation. Once you arrive to the area designated for the Anand Karaj, please cover your head and remove your shoes -- a Sikh sign of respect for the Guru Granth Sahib. All guests are welcome to greet the Guru Granth Sahib with a bow upon entering the sangat. The congregation will be seated on the floor facing the Guru Granth Sahib.
Once Paul has entered the sangat, his sisters will remove any adornment on his turban and offer it to the Guru Granth Sahib. This act symbolizes the couple removing their egos before agreeing to wed. Simren will then enter and take her place to the left of Paul.
Gyanni ji ("sikh priest") will say a short opening ardaas seeking felicity for the couple, whose respective parents will stand for the ardaas while the rest of the congregation remain seated. The ragis ("Sikh choir") will then sing a short shabad ("hymn") from the Guru Granth Sahib. Translated, the shabad would read: "Call upon God for the task you want accomplished; he will right the task, so witnesses the Guru. In the company of the holy you will rejoice and taste only nectar. God is the demolisher of fear; God is compassionate. Guru Nanak sings the praises of the incomputable God."
Gianni ji may then give a sermon addressed especially to the couple explaining the significance of Sikh marriage and the duties and obligations of husband and wife towards each other and towards their families, community and society in general. After the sermon, the bride's father (or guardian) will place one end of a scarf in the groom's hand passing it over his shoulder and placing the other end in the bride's hand, signifying that the bride's father entrusts his daughter to the groom's protection. The ragis will then sing another short shabad: "I no longer enjoy praise or slander. Oh Guru Nanak, I count all other relationships as false. To the fold of God's fabric am I now engaged."
The Guru Granth Sahib is then opened at page 773 and the first stanza of the Laavan quartet is read from it to sanctify the marriage. Guru Ram Das, the fourth Guru of the Sikhs has given, in the four rounds or "Laava", a formula for a successful marriage. These four shabads, describe the sacred journey of the soul through this world to the final destination, the merging with the infinite. If one follows this sacred path and applies it properly to the institution of marriage, it should result in happiness and fulfilment – anand ("bliss"). After each Laava is read by the Gianni ji, it is then sung by the ragis while the couple slowly circulate the Guru Granth Sahib, clockwise, while holding their ends of the scarf throughout.
The ceremony is concluded with the shabad of Anand Sahib followed by the ardaas, in which the whole congregation joins. Finally, karah prasad, Sikh holy nourishment, is distributed to all while congratulations and hugs are freely exchanged.