In a traditional Hindu wedding procession, the groom’s celebratory arrival parade is called a baraat.
The baraat is a public procession in which the groom travels toward the wedding venue accompanied by relatives, friends, musicians, and dancers. In many North Indian weddings, the groom traditionally rides a decorated horse, although modern processions may use a car, carriage, or another vehicle. Music and dancing are central features of the celebration.
The procession announces the groom’s arrival and turns the journey to the venue into a communal festival. Its size, route, clothing, and musical style differ across regions, communities, and families. Some Hindu and related South Asian wedding traditions use similar processions without following one single format.
Baraat should not be confused with mandap, the decorated wedding pavilion, or saptapadi, the seven-step ritual performed in many Hindu weddings. Vidaai refers to the bride’s departure after the wedding, not the groom’s arrival.