Wedding in the south are known for its elegance and simplicity. People, there are very down to earth, simple and have immense faith for their old age customs and traditions. When you step into the venue where a Tamil wedding is solemnizing, you can’t resist yourself from falling in love with the significant Tamil wedding rituals. Though Tamil weddings are filled with fun, dance, light moments still Tamilians never compromise with actual ceremony. They prefer sticking to traditional customs to seek blessings of God for the happy married life of a couple. Have a look on the article to know Wedding Day Rituals of Tamilian Wedding.
• MangalaSnanam (purifying bath)
The ritual of MangalaSnanam is observed on the day of wedding where bride and groom take purifying bath. The paste of turmeric (haldi), sandalwood powder (Chandan), kumkum, oil is prepared by sumangalis and applied on the face, hands, and feet of bride and bridegroom. They then take a holy bath before getting ready for the wedding ceremony.
• Gauri Puja
The Gauri Puja is only performed by the bride after she gets ready. The Goddess Gauri who is considered as a symbol purity and austerity is worshipped by the bride to seek holy blessings of the goddess for happy married life.
• Kashi Yatra
It is the most amusing ritual of tamilian wedding. When the baraat arrives at wedding venue, the groom pretends to leave for pilgrimage carrying a stick and umbrella, and other essentials rather than marrying the bride. It is then bride’s father intervenes and makes him change his mind and persuade to marry and gives his daughter’s hand. The groom relents and taken to the mandap.
• Pada Puja
It is one of the wedding rituals where bride’s mother washes the feet of the groom with kumkum, chandan and water. His feet are wiped with flower petals. After the completion of this ritual, the bride is called in to the mandap.
• Maalai Maatral
In this ritual, the bride, and the groom exchange floral garlands three times in the presence of guests to begin their new phase of life together.
• Oonjal (swing ceremony)
During the Oonjal ceremony, the bride and the groom are made to sit on the swing and given banana and milk to eat. The married women sing old Oonjal Pattu songs and throw rice balls in four directions to ward off the evil eyes.
• Kanyadanam
When the bride and groom step off from swing, the ritual of kanyadanam is performed where the bride sits on her father’s lap. A coconut is placed on bride’s hands and her father supports his daughter’s hand and gives that coconut to groom. After which the bride’s father gives her daughter’s hand to the groom for forever and the groom promises to take care of her.
• Muhurtham
After the completion of kanyadaan ceremony, the groom puts sindoor on the bride’s parting hair and ties a mangalsutra and a sacred thread around her neck. The groom ties three knots in this sacred thread symbolising the union of body, mind and soul. The groom’s mother gifts the bride a nine yard saree to mark her acceptance in the family.
• Saptapadi
It is the last wedding ritual where the bride and the bridegroom takes seven sacred rounds (promises) around holy fire. There is an another ritual where the groom holds the left toe of bride as she steps her feet on the grindstone as the symbolism of their holy union as solid as rock.