In earlier days, sangeet sandhya would last ten days. Women would gather around the bride every evening to sing and dance for her until her marriage day. Over time, this tradition has become a pre-wedding event hosted one evening before the wedding ceremony.

Today, several families jointly celebrate the Sangeet event where women, men and children join the revelry. Sangeet is purely a celebration of happiness and joy surrounding the couple and has no religious rituals. Sangeet is about bonding between the bride and the groom’s families. It is the perfect informal opportunity for everyone to familiarise themselves with one another before the big wedding day. It signifies strengthening familial relationships and a lively start to the wedding celebrations.

These days, the couple’s families even appoint professional choreographers to practice their songs and dance sequences. The songs and dances performed are symbolic and have cultural significance. For instance, the Ras Leela dance praises Lord Krishna, narrating stories about Gopis, while the auspicious Loor  represents new crops, signifying new beginnings for the couple. The Loor even takes the form of a question-answer format to tell the couple’s love story. Similarly, the bride’s in-laws mostly perform the Khoria, swaying gently in circular dance moves, teasing the groom that it is still a long way to bring his bride home. Among all these is the famous Jhumar dance, often called Haryanvi Gidda. Performed by young married women, high on energy and fun, it celebrates the union of two people. The sangeet ceremony also gives the new generation a chance to witness folk music and dance, which are integral to Haryana’s wedding culture.

The possibilities for the bride’s Sangeet attire are endless, from a Salwar kameez to a designer gown. Since the evening does not entail any religious ceremony, brides opt for traditional salwar kameez, lehengas or indo-western fusion wear at this event. Few trendy brides opt for designer ready-to-wear sarees that look great and allow the bride to show off her dance moves. Also, the choice of colours extends beyond yellow and red. Party colours like fuchsia, tangerine, royal blue, emerald green, silver, and gold are trending in Sangeet attire. The groom may opt for a traditional kurta with dhoti pants, achkan, bandhgala, sherwani, or a modern indo-western trousers and jacket set. 

Usually, his outfit has stunning patterns, prints, designs, embroidery, and party colours. Today, since many brides and grooms take to the stage themselves, it is essential that their outfits are well-coordinated.

Typically, since the sangeet has a more vibrant colour palette and is an evening of song and dance, family members and guests dress in vibrant attire and fashionable styles. They also consider manoeuvrability if they are performing on the stage. Flowy maxi dresses and knee-length Indian-inspired outfits are trending with female guests. On the other hand, men dress in traditional sherwani or western blazers with trousers. Finally, it’s more than looks; it’s about embracing the joyful spirit.