Tamil Wedding Rituals & Program
In a traditional Tamilian wedding, there are several pre-wedding and wedding rituals that are significant and hold cultural importance. Some of the main pre-wedding and wedding rituals in a Tamilian wedding ceremony are:
Pre-wedding rituals:
NakshatraPorutham: Matching of horoscope are given utmost importance in a Tamil wedding. Horoscopes or nakshatrams are matched following Vedic guidelines based on twelve points or Poruthams like Nadi, Yoni, Rasi, Gana etc
Panda Kaal Muhurtham
This ritual is observed by the bride’s and the groom’s sides together. The two families visit a temple or may organize a special puja at one of the homes, and pray to the Almighty so that the wedding may happen without any obstacles. This is generally done on the day before the wedding.
Sumangali Prarthanai
This is a special puja directed towards the Sumangalis or married women who take part during various rituals of the wedding. Generally these women are close relatives and family friends. The women, generally grouped in odd numbers like three or five or seven, gets decked up in traditional nine-yard Madisar sarees. After completion of the puja, the bride seeks blessings from each Sumangali and gives her some special gift like a saree or jewelry. They are also treated with special lunch.
Pallikal Thellichal
Earthenware pots are decorated with vermillion and sandalwood paste by five or seven married women of the family or both the bride and the groom’s families. Inside each pot, nine different types of grains or navadhaanyam are placed along with a bit of curd. A Kolam or traditional south Indian sand art designs that are believed to be bringer of good luck, is prepared at a special spot within the house.
Vrutham
This ritual takes place at the groom’s place on the early mornings of the day befor the wedding. The day signifies transition of the groom from the Bachelorhood or Brahmacharya phase of life to Domestic or Garhasthaya phase. He seeks permission from his guru, usually his father to proceed to this phase. A sacred thread, colored yellow with turmeric is tied around the groom’s wrists. In a similar ceremony or puja, a yellow thread is also tied around the bride’s wrists. This thread is said to protect the bride and the groom from evil energy.
Naandi Shraddham
The groom’s family arrives at the bride’s place or the venue of the wedding on the morning of the day before. The bride’s family welcomes them with tray full of favors like sweets, betel leaves, betel nuts and fruits. The groom is especially welcome with a shower of rose water. A garland is put around the groom’s neck and a spot of sandalwood and vermillion paste is applied on his forehead.
Wedding rituals:
MangalaSnanam: The wedding day begins at the crack of dawn. The Mangalasnanam ritual is observed separately by the bride and the groom’s sides.
Gauri Puja: This is a ritual that is performed by the bride only. An idol of the Goddess Gauri, who represents purity, austerity and virtue, is placed on a plate containing rice and kumkum. After the bride has been dressed up, she offers her prayers and performs a short puja to the Gauri idol wishing for a happily married life ahead.
Kashi Yathra: The groom pretends to leave for the city of Kashi to live as an ascetic, but is stopped by the bride's brother who convinces him to marry his sister.
Pada Puja: After the groom arrives at the wedding mandap, the parents of the bride washes his feet with holy water, sandalwood, milk, and kumkum. His feet are then wiped dry with flower petals.
MaalaiMaatral: The bride is then brought into the wedding mandap and the couple exchange flower garlands as a first step of the wedding. The ritual is repeated three times and sometimes amid much playfulness where the bride/groom tries to evade garlanding by the other.
Oonjal: Oonjal refers to a swing. During this ceremony, the couple is made to sit on a swing which is rocked gently. The women of the family surround the swing and sing Oonjal Pattu songs. The elders of the family come one by one and feed the couple milk and banana and bless them. Women from both the families carry colored rice balls around the couple seated in the swing in both clockwise and anticlockwise directions three times before throwing the balls in four cardinal directions to ward off evil energy.
Kanyadanam: The bride's father gives her hand in marriage to the groom, symbolizing his acceptance of the groom as his son-in-law.
Muhurtham: The Thaali is blessed by the priest and the groom ties the Thaali, or south Indian equivalent of a mangalsutra, around the bride’s neck. The first two knots of the Thaali is put in by the groom while the third and the final one is put in by the groom’s sister.
Saptapadi: The bride and the groom holds each other’s hands and go around the sacred fire seven times. Vedic mantras are chanted by the pries which outlines the seven sacred vows of a marriage. This ritual marks the symbolic beginning of the couple’s journey as husband and wife. Next the groom holds the bride’s left toe as she steps over a grindstone. This symbolically represents the solidity of their union.
These are some of the main pre-wedding and wedding rituals that are performed in a traditional Tamil wedding ceremony.