Marathi lagna patrika: format, wording and a sample

A Marathi lagna patrika (लग्नपत्रिका) usually opens with Shri Ganeshay Namah and the family deity's name, then announces the wedding of the groom, written with चि., and the bride, written with चि. सौ. कां., at a stated muhurat. It asks guests to come with their whole family and bless the couple. That request, सहकुटुंब सहपरिवार उपस्थित राहावे, is the heart of the card. Many cards also list the halad, the sakharpuda or the reception, and a good number end with a polite line asking guests not to bring aaher, or gifts.

The usual order of a Marathi lagna patrika

1. The invocation. ॥ श्री गणेशाय नमः ॥, often followed by the kuldevata or kuldevi: ॥ श्री खंडोबा प्रसन्न ॥, ॥ श्री तुळजाभवानी प्रसन्न ॥, or whichever deity the family worships.
2. The announcement. The hosts, usually the parents, announce the wedding of their son or daughter.
3. The couple. चि. before the groom's name and चि. सौ. कां. before the bride's, each with the parents' names and often the family's town.
4. The muhurat. The date, the day and the exact time, such as सकाळी ११ वा. ३५ मि. Evening weddings are sometimes held at the goraj muhurat, around dusk.
5. The venue. The mangal karyalay or hall, with its address.
6. The request. An appeal to come with the family and bless the couple.
7. Other functions. The halad, the sakharpuda if it's held close to the wedding, and the reception.
8. The names at the bottom. निमंत्रक (the hosts), and lines such as आपले नम्र or स्वागतोत्सुक listing relatives.

Phrases you'll see on most cards

A sample lagna patrika

The names, places and times below are examples. Replace them with your own, and check the deity line with your family, since it differs from home to home.

The aaher line

Aaher (आहेर) means the gifts, often clothes or cash, that guests bring to a wedding. Many Marathi families now print कृपया आहेर आणू नये, or the softer आपले आशीर्वाद हाच आमचा आहेर, “your blessings are our gift”. It's a genuinely common line and most guests respect it, so print it only if you mean it. If the family is happy to receive gifts, simply leave the line out; nobody expects a card to invite them.

Other functions on the card

Where the family lists other functions, they usually follow the wedding details, each with its own time:

• Halad, the haldi, usually the day before, at each family's home. The haldi wording guide has samples you can adapt.
• Simant pujan, the welcome of the groom's family, often the evening before.
• Sakharpuda, the engagement, if it's held just before the wedding.
• Reception (स्वागत समारंभ), with its own date, time and venue.

Rituals such as the gaurihar puja, the antarpat and the mangalashtak are part of the wedding itself and aren't usually listed separately.

An English version of the same card

Marathi, English or both

Many families print the lagna patrika in Marathi for relatives and send an English version to friends and colleagues. A digital invitation can carry both: the Marathi page first, then an English page with the same details. The English wording follows the parents' wording guide closely. If your family also has Gujarati relatives, you'll notice how much the kankotri and the lagna patrika share, from the Ganesh line to the honorifics.

For designs with space for all of this, see the wedding templates. More regional guides are collected under weddings across India.