Also called Haldi, Pithi, Mangala Snana
A paste of turmeric, gram flour, sandalwood and rosewater or milk, applied to the bride (and separately the groom) in the days before the wedding, followed by a ritual bath.
The first of the sixteen and the only one that is removed rather than worn. It marks the beginning of the wedding sequence — a rite of preparation and blessing, applied by married women of the family rather than by a professional.
Called haldi across much of North India, pithi in Gujarat, and mangala snana in parts of the South, where the ritual bath itself carries the emphasis.
Turmeric is genuinely antiseptic, which is the practical layer under the ritual one. The ceremony matters more than the paste: it is one of the few wedding functions where the family does something to the couple with their own hands.
Solah Shringar is a cultural tradition rather than a requirement — lists differ by region, and including or omitting any item is an ordinary family choice.