Anand Karaj is the blissful union of a couple, according to Sikhism. And like Hindu weddings, pheras are an integral part of Anand Karaj and are called laavan phere. There are four hymns of laavan phere and each verse describes a spiritual stage of married life. 

“Har pehladi laav parvirtee karam driraia bal raam jio.” The first laavan marks the start of the ceremony and states the piousness of a marriage. It reminds the couple to fulfil their marital duties, renounce bad ways, and meditate on god’s name. It asks the couple to stay on the right path even when times get tough.

First Laavan

“Har doojdi laav satigur purakh milaaya bal raam jio.” The second laavan takes the couple to meet the true guru–the primal being. It instructs the couple to leave all materialistic things and their ego aside and search for the real guru. The guru is omnipresent and is within and everywhere around them. 

Second Laavan

“Har teejdi laav man chaao bhaya bairagiya bal raam jio.” The third laavan talks about the absolute and true love that the couple has in their heart for their god. The bride here accepts that she has met the divine saint. She narrates how she finds the almighty and sings his praise which resounds from within her and completes her. 

Third Laavan

“Har chouthdi laav man sehaj bhaya har paaya bal raam jio.” The fourth laavan narrates how the hearts and minds of the couple have found peace and joy because they have found the true god. The last hymn describes the spiritual union of the couple. And after the completion of the last laavan, the bride and groom are officially announced as husband and wife.

Fourth Laavan

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