Sehra

Sehra (Urdu: سہرا, Hindi: सेहरा) is a headdress worn by the groom during the marriage. It has garlands hanging that covers the face of the groom. The word also refers to an Urdu poem.

In South Asian Muslim traditions, especially in Uttar Pradesh and Hyderabad (Deccan), there is a social ritual where the sisters of the groom sing a Sehra, a poem in praise of the groom and pray to God for his future wedded life. The groom follows this by giving cash to his sisters.

There are no specifications for a Sehra except that it should rhyme and be of the same meter. Sehras are generally written by individuals praising their brothers, so they are very varied in style and nature. A good sehra appears in the Urdu film, Razia Sultana; however, this particular sehra was sung by males, quite contrary to the current tradition.

Sehra can also be a female given name, roughly equivalent to Sarah or Sara.

Sehra or Sihra also referred to furrows made in the field by the ploughing tool in Vedic Times. The name also refers to the surname or Gotra of some Dhiman Brahmins and of some Jats in Northern India.