The Tamil Hindu Wedding Ceremony is an elaborate A ceremonial fire (Agni) that stands as a sacred ceremony including rituals outlined in the ancient witness to this union. The ceremony is Hindu scriptures, the Vedas. A pandit performs the ceremony in Sanskrit, placed under the Manavarai, a richly decorated canopy. It honours and celebrates the couple’s love, and Its four pillars signify the vital role of the Bride and ensure a happy marriage through each ritual. Groom’s parents have played in raising their children.
MAPILLAI VARAVETPU – ARRIVAL OF THE GROOM
The wedding begins when the Groom, Jivaneshan, arrives with his family and entourage and is welcomed by the Bride’s family. Jivaneshan’s best man and three Sumangali (married women) perform a welcome ritual before the Groom enters the wedding hall.
POOJA FOR GROOM
The Groom arrives at the Manavarai (stage), and the pandit first performs Ganapathi Pooja, worship of Lord Ganesha, to remove all obstacles for the proceedings. The Groom then conducts several rituals with the pandit and his best man, including Paatha Pooja (washing his parent’s feet).
ARRIVAL OF THE BRIDE AND THAALI POOJA
The Bride, Tully, arrives with her bridesmaid, the Groom’s sister Kaamini. Both sit under the Manavarai to perform several rituals, including the Gauri Pooja, where the Bride seeks blessings from the Goddess Gauri for a happily married life. The pandit performs the Thaali Pooja to bless the Thaali, the Bride and Groom’s wedding outfits, and wedding garlands.
KANYADHAANAM – GIVING AWAY THE BRIDE
Tully holds a coconut in her hands, and her father offers her hands to Jivaneshan and his family while her mother pours water over the coconut. It is an emotional moment as it signifies the giving away of the Bride. The pandit recites four generations of the two families, and the couple’s parents apply Pottun (bindi) on each other’s foreheads as a sign of respect and welcome. The best man and the bridesmaid have a blessing of Vasthram (wedding outfits) on behalf of the couple, and they both leave the wedding hall to change.
THAALI KATTUDHAL – TYING OF THE THAALI
Jivaneshan re-enters in his wedding outfit, as does Tully in her Koorai (wedding saree). It is then the most significant moment of the wedding. The Thaali is a sacred gold necklace, the Hindu equivalent of a wedding ring and a symbol of the husband’s love, integrity and devotion. Jivaneshan will tie the Thaali around Tully’s neck, close to her heart, signifying she is now a married woman. Those on stage shower the couple with Atchathai (turmeric rice) in celebration.
MAALAI MAATRUDHAL – EXCHANGE OF GARLANDS
Tangshan and Tully exchange floral wedding garlands, symbolising they are no longer separate individuals and are now equal partners in their union.
SAPTHAPATHI – THE SEVEN SACRED STEPS
The Sapthapathi is one of the most important rituals in the wedding. The pandit ties the Groom’s shawl to the Bride’s saree pallu. Jivaneshan and Tully take seven steps around the Agni (fire), each step signifying their vows to each other:
To nourish each other, care for our children, remain lifelong friends, share our joys and sorrows, be together forever, preserve our wealth, and grow together in strength.
OKALI – THE NEWLYWED GAMES
The newlyweds engaged in a playful challenge – each vying to retrieve the golden ring from within a vessel adorned with intricate designs and brimming with water and milk. The winner of the game will rule the household. It also signifies the importance of fun and compromises in their married life.
MARATHI AND MANGALA ARATHI BLESSINGS AND SANCTIFICATION
As part of the wedding ceremony, the couple humbly asked for their parents’ blessing as they kneeled before them. Afterwards, the two families celebrated with a joyous exchange of gifts and a unique “Arathi,” a symbolic gesture that symbolically completed this magical moment in time.
