Quick Answer
What is a varat?
Varat is the Maharashtrian term for the groom's procession to the wedding venue — functionally similar to a baraat, but distinctively often led by a dhol-tasha percussion troupe (pathak) rather than a brass band, and can include the groom arriving on horseback, in a decorated car, or on foot.
Last updated:
Last updated:
What is a varat?
Also called: varat procession, groom's procession (Maharashtrian).
Varat is how the groom makes his entrance at a Maharashtrian wedding — a procession from a staging point to the venue, with music, dancing relatives, and often a full dhol-tasha pathak setting the pace instead of the brass-band sound more associated with North Indian baraats.
In Marathi — मराठीत
वरात म्हणजे नवरदेवाची लग्नाच्या ठिकाणी जाणारी मिरवणूक — उत्तर भारतीय बारातीसारखीच, पण अनेकदा बँडऐवजी ढोल-ताशा पथक पुढे वाजवत असतं. नवरदेव घोड्यावरून, सजवलेल्या गाडीतून किंवा कधी पायी चालत मांडवापर्यंत पोहोचतो, आणि वाटेत नातेवाईक नाचत-गात सोबत असतात. वरात मांडवाजवळ पोहोचली की नवरीचं कुटुंब सीमंतपूजन करून नवरदेवाचं स्वागत करतं.
What a varat procession typically involves
- •The groom, dressed in his wedding attire, travels from a staging point to the venue — by horse, decorated car, or occasionally on foot.
- •Family and friends dance and celebrate along the route, often led by a dhol-tasha pathak.
- •The procession ends at the venue entrance, where the bride's family performs seemantapoojan to formally welcome the groom.
Track the procession live with your team
Weddingkart lets your team broadcast a quick WhatsApp update the moment the varat departs, so the venue is ready before it arrives.
See WhatsApp announcements →Frequently Asked Questions
How is varat different from a baraat?
They serve the same function — the groom's procession to the venue — but a Maharashtrian varat is often led by a dhol-tasha percussion troupe rather than the brass band typical of North Indian baraats, and can have distinct local customs along the way.
What happens when the varat arrives at the venue?
The bride's family performs seemantapoojan — a formal welcome ritual honouring the groom — before he is escorted to the mandap.
Does every Maharashtrian wedding have a varat?
Most do in some form, though the scale varies widely — from a modest walk to the entrance to a full dhol-tasha-led procession lasting 30-40 minutes.
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By Mayank JaiswalLast updated