Important Rituals of a Tamil Brahmin Wedding

Indian weddings are loaded with customs and traditions. One of the most colorful and vibrant are Tamil Brahmin weddings in South India. Tamil Brahmins take pride in their rich cultural heritage. Every single ritual performed at the ceremony has a deep background and history; Not to mention they are very enjoyable to watch, entertaining and most importantly, create a lot of fantastic memories.

Jaanavasam - Bharaat

Jaanavasam is a small ceremony that takes place just before the wedding. This ritual is performed to welcome the groom; he is taken around the marriage venue on a horse, in a chariot or an open car, with friends and family greeting him, dancing and singing. The bride's family awaits at the entrance to welcome the groom and his family inside.

Nichayathartham - Formal Engagement Ceremony

This is a very important pre-wedding ceremony and is the final confirmation of the wedding where the Tamil bride offers prayers to Lord Ganesha in the presence of a priest. Both families sit in front of each other and exchange coconuts and betel leaves. The bride and groom then exchange rings. The groom's family bestows the bride with clothing, cosmetics, healthy food items and jewelry; in return, the bride's family offers the groom new clothes that he is going to change into. A small Aarthi (prayer) is done for the bride to ward off any negativity that may affect her on their wedding day.

Kashi Yatra - Pilgrimage to Kashi

Kashi is a holy city in India, historically a focus for higher education and religious understanding. In this ritual, the groom gets cold feet and decides to travel to Kashi, seeking a spiritual life. He packs his essentials according to custom, which include an umbrella, a walking stick, the Bhagavad Gita (a holy book), coconuts and some rice. The family of the bride intercepts him and tries to convince him to come back which leads to a merry chase around the venue while everyone else enjoys a hearty laugh. The bride's father then asks the groom to share the pleasures and challenges of family life and, with this promise, the groom returns to marry the bride.

Maalai Maatral - Exchange of Garlands

Once the groom agrees to the marriage, he exchanges flower garlands with the bride. In the Hindu tradition, exchanging garlands indicates that the bride has picked the groom to be her husband. The bride and groom try to garland each other three times with both sides trying to dodge each attempt. In the Shastras (holy scripts) this beautiful ritual symbolizes the unification of the couple as one soul in two bodies.

Oonjal - The Swing Ceremony

Oonjal is a swing that is beautifully decorated with flowers and ornaments, where the bride and the groom are meant to sit. It is then gently rocked back and forth; this motion is a message to the couple that they must stay strong during turbulent times and challenges of life. Relatives and friends sing songs blessing the bride and groom. Then, the couple is fed milk and bananas. The women of both families throw colored rice in four directions to fend off evil spirits. The ritual also signifies the support of family and friends throughout the couple's life together.

Kanyadaan - Giving the Bride Away

This is an old tradition symbolizing that the father is giving away his daughter and is seeking the groom's promise to always take care of her. The ritual marks the biggest transition in the bride's life from a daughter to a wife. She sits on her father's lap with her hands placed on top of the groom's. Auspicious items including a coconut, betel leaves and nuts are put in her palms. The bride's mother pours holy water on the coconut. A new saree is given to the bride. The saree is draped by the groom's female relatives to express their happiness in the bride becoming a part of their family. The groom once again assures the bride's father that he will remain her loyal partner in sickness and in health, in this life and the life after.

Maangalya Dharnam - Tying the Thali

Maangalya Dharnam is believed to be one of the most precious moments in one's life. The groom ties the Mangal Sutra, or Thali (a turmeric thread) around the bride's neck. Three knots are tied to signify the bride's loyalty to her husband, her dedication to their family and her devotion to God. Tying of the Thali is done as the relatives and guests shower the newlyweds with turmeric smeared rice.

Sapthapadi - Seven Steps

The bride and groom take seven steps around Agni (sacred fire). An Ammi Kal (grinding stone) is kept by the fire; the groom stops and holds the bride's toe, placing it on the stone. This symbolizes the rock solid foundation of their union. The groom then slips Mettis (silver rings) on his bride's toes. When they return to sit in front of the sacred fire, the bride's brother puts two handfuls of rice in her hands which is then offered to the Agni along with some ghee and twigs. This ritual is repeated three times, sanctifying and completing the wedding with the couple declared Husband and Wife both socially and religiously.

Arundhati & Nakshatram - North Star

The groom shows the bride the double stars Arundhati-Vasishtha Nakshatra. Arundhati was the wife of Vasishtha, one of the Seven Sages. In Vedic literature, she is the ideal wife and the epitome of chastity and wifely devotion. Arundhati and Vasishtha symbolize marital joy, fulfillment and loyalty. They rotate around each other indicating that both are equals and husband and wife must be in sync. The couple is asked to look up the constellation signifying conjugal love and affection.

Nalangu - Party Games

A hilarious Tamil after-wedding ritual, Nalangu is a fun activity done to help the newlyweds get to know each other better and celebrate their wedding. They play games, sing songs and tease each other on this traditional Game Night. The games include breaking appalams over each other's heads, throwing rice and stealing betel leaves from each other and playing ball with a coconut.

R.E.M. Video and Photography is honored to be capturing these cultural weddings and we've become highly experienced in these unique celebrations. Hiring a photographer, skilled in capturing South Asian weddings, is imperative to preserving all the critical moments, especially because these are once in a lifetime moments that will never repeat themselves.

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