You will not find Tamil Weddings extravagant but still they are lavish following all the traditions in the right manner in beautiful ceremonies. The Tamil community is very strict about following all the rituals and traditions in their wedding without skipping a single one which makes the Tamil Wedding a sacred function.
Pre Wedding Rituals
Panda KaalMuhurtham:
This ceremony marks the beginning of wedding function and both the families of the groom and bride pray for the happy married life of newly wed couple.
SumangaliParthanai:
It is celebrated to have the blessing of women who died before the husbands and the bride also became sumangali in future. After the completion of ceremony, the south indian cuisines are served especially on banana leaf.
PallikalThellichal:
In this beautiful ceremony, 9 various types of grains are filled in different 7 earthen pots which are amazingly decorated along with sandalwood dipped in water so that the couple have blessings from fish. In the pots, curd is also placed which is believed to bring the good luck charm in the newly married couple.
NaandiShrardham:
This ritual include praying to ancestors for the prosperous life of bride and groom which is completed by serving 10 Brahmins for South Indian feast and are offer them coconut, fruits, paansupari, flowers, sweets and veshtiangavastram which are traditional clothes.
Nichayathartham (engagement):
It begins with puja of the Lord Ganesha in the bride’s house. In the ceremony, bride receives lots of pleasant gifts like jewellery, sareeetc from the groom’s side. The same thing happens with the groom too as he receives gifts from the bride’s side. Both the groom and bride changes in to new clothes which they receive from their in laws.
Vrutham:
This ceremony occurs at the house of groom in the early morning just before the day of wedding. It represents transition of Bachelorhood of the groom in the new phase of Garhasthaya Life. In the celebration, the groom asks the permission from his father for moving into new phase of life. The ceremony is accompanied by tie up of sacred thread around the wrists of the groom. Similar ceremony also occurs at bride’s house and yellow thread immersed in haldi is tied up around the wrist of beautiful bride. It presumes that this sacred thread will protect the couple from bad energy.
Wedding Ritual
MangalaSnaanam (purifying bath):
It will per performed at both the houses of Groom and bride separately in which kumkum, haldi and oil is applied on the body of groom and bride and after that they take holy bath, get prepared for the auspicious wedding.
Gauri Puja:
The bride will do Gauri Puja on her wedding day after she gets ready for the wedding which consists of offering prayers to the Goddess Gauri.
KashiYatra:
In this, groom pretends that he has no interest in wedding and going to Kashi and in the way father of the bride will stop him and will convince him for the marriage. After that the groom will reach to mandap.
MaalaiMaatral:
Garlands are exchanged via groom and bride and is the beginning of holy union. The ceremony is followed by Kanyadaan. Finally the wedding is complete and groom and bride are now husband and wife.
