Iyer Wedding

A Week more for the Wedding aka Kalyanam.I wanted to know about all the scared rituals that take place on the D-Day.This is the first Tamil Iyer wedding for my Telugu Brahmin side,hence the adventure is less discovered.I spoke to my MIL and found out the meaning of few rituals.Here are few or more or less the ones that we follow.

Tamil Iyer Wedding

Wedding in earlier days used ot go on for 5 to 10 days,thankfully the process right now is compacted into 2 days.The Groom wears something called a Vesthi and a Kurta or a silk shirt.The Bride wear the traditional Madisaar also known as the nine yard saree.

Vrutham - The wedding starts with this,we offer prayers to our ancestors and God early in the morning and seek their blessings for the ceremonies ahead.

Maapillai Azhaippu - Music,Nadaswaram and Dancing are and integral part of the ceremony.The Brides family welcomes the Groom and his family into the wedding Mandapam ( for us it is a wee diff,as V is from Coimbatore,we will get the welcome).This Ritual used to take place earlier to let the village know who exactly the Groom and Bride are.


Nischayathartham - Engagement Ceremony,Mantras are chanted by the Hindu Priest,They read out the detals Of the Bride and the Groom,such as Fathers and Grandfathers name,the Village that their Forefather belonged to,their family Gothra.Then they read out the wedding Muhurtham's Date and time.Once everyone is ok and agrees to the wedding the Thamboolam is exchanged along with the rings and the bride and the groom are officially engaged.

Muhurtham (Main wedding) - It is the on the 2nd day,the time is typically between 7 am to 9.30 am or can go up to 11 am.

Kaasi Yatra - An age old ceremony where the Groom decides to take sanyasam (monk hood) for his spiritual journey.He is convinced by the Bride's brother and father to give up sanyasam and take up "grahastham"(family life).The Brides brother will take away the umbrella,the wooden slippers and the kamandalam or the jug with water from his hand give him a set of new clothes and leather footwear and take him to his sister,the bride.

This Ritual will complete when the groom's side carrying the groom and the bride's side carrying the bride on shoulders.Th bride and the groom exchange garlands and proceed to the Swing(Oonjal).The Womenfolk will perform rituals and sing songs to word away any evil eye,while swinging the oonjal.

This is proceeded to the Mandapam,where at teh end the Bride sits on her Father lap and Kanigadhnam takes place.Where the Bride's father offers her hand to the groom.The Groom then ties the Mangalasutram around the brides neck and the elders shower their blessing to the auspicious muhurtham and the ceremony.

Nalangu - This used to take place in olden days as the groom and the bride were young and mostly in teenage and is conducted for entertainment.It is a very integral part of the wedding.

Gruhapravesham - This ceremony is the next day when the Bride is welcomed into the Grooms home.She will lit the Traditional Lamp and become a part of the Grooms Family.

I am looking Forward to enjoy all of the above ceremonies to my Hearts content and Live with the Craze V and the Crazier and Loving Families.





Onjal Seva -