What is the Sikh ceremony of marriage called?

Anand Karaj is the Sikh ceremony of marriage.

The phrase Anand Karaj means “blissful union.” Its central ritual is the couple’s four circuits, or laavan, around the Guru Granth Sahib while four hymns attributed to Guru Ram Das are sung. The movement represents a spiritual journey toward union with the divine as well as the couple’s commitment to live together within Sikh principles.

The ceremony is normally held in a gurdwara before the Guru Granth Sahib. It is not merely a social contract or a display of family status; Sikh teaching presents marriage as a partnership supporting spiritual growth, household responsibility, and service. The couple traditionally bows before the scripture and receives the congregation’s blessings.

The Anand Marriage Act was passed in British India in 1909, giving legal recognition to Sikh marriages performed through the Anand ceremony. In practice, customs around clothing, food, music, and celebrations vary by family and region, while the laavan remain the defining liturgical element.