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Amazing Rituals that make Tamil Weddings Ethereal

Author: Balakrishnan David
by Balakrishnan David
Posted: Jan 02, 2020

The Tamil People are known all over the Indian subcontinent as well as outside for their elegant and pure soul. This simplicity of their life is well expressed in their wedding ceremonies as well. If we compare a Tamil Wedding ceremony with the big, fat and expensive wedding in North India, you would exactly how different both are. South Indian Marriage is the most simple and authentic style of getting the knots of the bride tied with the groom. Tamil matrimony events are more about loads of attractive bright colors, beautiful flower decoration all around and the sweet tune of exotic South Indian music.

Well, in this article, you will come across the various realms and rituals of the Tamil Shaadi which makes it the most beautiful and attractive ceremony to be a part of.

Tamil Marriage- An occasion filled with colours and life

These elements, when paired up with the ancient and modern rituals and other such items, make up the perfect ambiance or setting for a South Indian wedding.Usually called as Maangalyam or Thirumanamin Tamil Nadu, a Tamil Marriage can be one of the perfect events you can be a part of. It is because a Tamil Wedding ceremony includes the flavor of old authentic traditions which is paired up with modern thoughts, forming the perfect blend to deal with.

A normal Tamil Shaadi usually lasts for about more than a week. It starts roughly with the ritual known as the Bhakshanam. According to this ritual, people from different places start coming up and joining at the site of the wedding. During this time, home-cooked intricacies take up a prominent place. However, now due to a busy schedule of people, following this ritual has become a little tricky.

The fast pace of modern human life has brought in an unwanted check on this ritual. However, there are places and families, where all of these traditions are still strictly followed. It can be said that Bhakshanam is one of those rituals which makes a typical Tamil Wedding a gala affair to enjoy.

Pre-wedding Jitters in a Tamil Marriage:The idea of jitters brings up the question of what all makes a classic Tamil Wedding? Well, coming to the various aspects of a South Indian Marriage, the venue of the ceremony plays the most important role. The venue called the ' mandapam'. It is organized entirely by the family of the bride. It is because the girl’s family is usually required to manage the entire set to organize the wedding. The Mandapam is decorated with exotic floral arrangements, making it look like floral heaven. Next, bright, colorful flowers are used for preparing the grand pattern of Kolam.

The next ritual, which follows, is known as the PalikaiThalikkal. In this ritual, a clay pot is used. Nine different kinds of grains are put in it by the females from the families of the groom and the bride. Once done, the groom and bride are required to water it.

As they water the grains regularly, the grains do sprout. This sprouting of the seeds represents good luck in their way of starting a new life. After the marriage, the Indian bride needs to join the ritual of watering the grains after which the newly wedded couple needs to carry the pot together and throw it into the water of some river or pond, based on the availability.

The Grand and Exotic Wedding Evening:On the last evening before the wedding day, a ritual known as the ‘Nishchayathartam’ is conducted. In other words, it can be described as the engagement ceremony of the Tamilian culture. The groom first visits the temple along with his family members to seek blessings from the almighty.

The South Indian ‘baraat’ ceremony, known as ‘JaanaVasam,’ happens on this evening. During this ceremony, the groom needs to take a tour of the whole place surrounding the venue, usually the girl’s home. This ritual happens to announce the marriage officially and to make sure if the world has any objections regarding their decision to get in together as life partners.

After this ritual, once the groom return back to the wedding venue, both the families exchange their ceremonial plates, decorated with a variety of fruits, flowers, jewels, and also clothes. In some modern families, a reception party is also organized. It is usually a celebration that marks the official announcement and engagement of the bride and the groom along with the performances of classical music and amazing South Indian food.

The Final Day of WeddingIn the wedding ceremony, a series of rituals take place in continuation. These traditional rituals are one of the prime reasons which make a typical South Indian such a rich and beautiful occasion.

Well, the morning starts pretty early at around 4 am in the morning. However, the presence of infants and children is not compulsory for this ritual. The presence of the bride and the groom is what is most important. They are required to be at the ‘Vratam’. It is basically an oath-taking ceremony which is performed by both families. Starting with giving their words to respect the following vows, it finally ends with a visit to a temple. In some cases, the ‘Vratam’ is performed in the wedding evenings too.

After it, the guests need to get ready for the 'Kashi Yatra'. It is a fun involving ritual in which symbolizes the visit of the groom to the holy city of Varanasi. It has a strong relationship with the ancient times when the young boys used to pay a visit to Varanasi to become a sanyasi once their education is finished. However, in this case, the groom dresses in a traditional dress with Gita in one hand while the bride’s father tries to stop him from going, convincing him to stop so that he can give away his daughter to him. Once the groom agrees to stay and says yes for the Matrimony, the next ritual, Oonjal starts.

Oonjal can be described as the swing ceremony which is usually performed just before the exchange of the garlands. After the transfer of crowns, the couple is a fee with milk. A few folk songs are sung in the background, fixing up the ambiance of the wedding ceremony. After it, the main function of ‘Kanyadaanam’ and ‘Maangalya Dhaaranam’ starts.

In Kanyadaanam, the father of the bride hands over his daughter to the groom while the groom promises to take care of the bride all his life. After it is done, the bride comes in draped in a traditional saree after which the groom ties the mangalsutra and they complete the satapadi marking the beginning of their happy and healthy married life.

All about Tamil Matrimony:Well, it can be said that Tamil marriage is all about its rich and authentic traditions. Although simple in its own way, South Indian Marriages are no less than a north Indian marriage. It may not be as extravagant as the Punjabi Shaadi but it portrays the rich culture and stunning rituals. A Tamil Matrimony is full of joy, happiness, and elegance bearing all the vintage flavor of various traditional values. Thus, it can be said that Tamil Shaadi is lavish in every way. As per the study, Tamilians value their rituals and customs in every way possible. This, they are quite dedicated to following all of it and getting along with it ensuring perfection.

About the Author

Matrimonialsindia.com is one of the online matrimony site for Indian Brides & Grooms for Marriage. We believe in providing a secure, easy to use and convenient matrimonial matchmaking experience to our members.

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Author: Balakrishnan David

Balakrishnan David

Member since: Jun 06, 2019
Published articles: 12

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