Ever Wondered Why Hindu Couples Take Saat Phere? The Answer Will Surprise You!

Sujeet kumar | Feb 22, 2025, 21:24 IST

( Image credit : Sujeet kumar )

Saat phere, also known as Saptapadi, is a Hindu wedding ritual where the bride and groom take seven steps around a sacred fire. The Saptapadi involves the couple walking seven steps in a clockwise direction around the Angi near the Mandap. Each of the steps is called a 'Phere', and each Phere stands for the seven promises and principles made by the couple to each other during the exchange of vows. This is one of the most important rituals in a Hindu wedding. Agnideva is believed to witness and bless the couple's union and vows are promises and principles made by the couple to each other.

The Seven Phera’s and Their Surprising Meaning:

Fascinating Facts About The Saat Phere

First Phera:Prayer for Food and Nourishment

It symbolizes the couple's commitment to a healthy and prosperous life together and also also symbolizes the couple's promise to work towards providing for each other's needs and establishing a stable home.
In this “phera” couple asks the gods for enough food and strength to support their family and groom promises to provide for his family, while the bride promises to support the household.

Second Phera: Strength

The couple asks for physical and mental strength, and to lead a healthy and peaceful life, they pray for timely meals, exercise, and avoiding bad habits like smoking and gambling and also they pray for the strength to support each other and their family through challenges.

Third Phera:Prosperity

In this, The couple prays to God for wealth and strength of each other,they pray to bestow with wealth through which they can do charity and spiritual growth and they also promise each other to work together towards the betterment of their future.

Fourth Phera: Family

The couple asks for love, trust, respect, and continuous joy and peace in this, and this phera also signifies a prayer for deep love, mutual respect, and trust between the couple, essentially asking for a harmonious and joyful life together, often including a vow to respect each other's families as well; it represents a commitment to navigate life's challenges with unity and understanding.

Fifth Phera: Progeny

The couple makes a promise that their family will be blessed with children who are morally strong, virtuous and responsible and be the welfare of all living entities in the entire universe and for begetting noble children.

Sixth Phera: Health

This Phera is for bountiful seasons all over the world. The couple prays for bountiful seasons and seeks that they may go through these seasons together, just as they would share their joys and sorrows and also promises to develop understanding, patience, and harmony in their relationship .

Seventh and Final: Promise of a life of love, friendship, and mutual trust

The seventh and final "phera" (round) signifies a vow of lifelong companionship, love, and friendship between the couple, where they essentially promise to be friends and remain faithful to each other for eternity; it is considered the most important part of the marriage ceremony, signifying the completion of the "Saptapadi" (seven steps) around the sacred fire.

With each round, those in attendance—friends, family, etc bless the couple by throwing, flowers and rice on them.
Once the seven rounds are done, the pair seek blessings from Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi. It is believed that the couple has now tied themselves together for seven lifetimes. A few communities in the country have the bride touch seven beetle nuts in turn with her toe, while the groom helps her keep her balance.