One of the rituals that is a sure-shot hit among the wedding audience and one that brings forth laughter and candid moments in a South Indian Wedding is the Kasi yatra. Kids and the adults alike enjoy this ritual where the groom pretends that he is starting to take to a trip to Kasi but is stopped and invited by either the groom’s brother or father back to the mandap after cleansing his feet and some sweet talking. There is always a big group gathered around the groom during the kasi yaatra and everyone has a blast hearing the conversation between the groom and the soon-to-be brother in law. Here are some of the Kasi yaatra pictures from the various weddings I have shot. Please leave your comment and let me know how you enjoyed your kaasi yatra.

The significance of te event goes like this – Every man after his student life has two alternatives- Married life or Ascetic life. Wishing to escape the tribulations of married life, the groom, with second thoughts, starts to make his way to the holy city of Kasi or Varanasi with slippers, umbrella, fan etc as his possessions. The bride’s fathers intervenes and advises him of the superiority of married life over ascetic life, promising to give him his daughter as a companion to face the challenges. The umbrella serves to remind him in the future of this advice.