Indian Wedding

Though the Saraswat Hindu Brahmin community is spread in several Indian states the one settled down in the coastal regions of the south Karnataka and north Kerala is small in number, well-educated and highly evolved. For an arranged wedding alliance, horoscopes play a prime role. Marriage between families of the same ‘gotra’/ancestral lineage is banned among them. Though they belong to a highly evolved community with a high level of social awareness, their wedding ceremonies are traditional, religious and somber.

‘Nandi’, though simple, but an important ceremony, performed ten days prior to the actual wedding, is a ,puja’ held separately in both houses, the purpose being to negate any ill-effects caused by any death in the family and for the smooth conduct of the wedding ceremonies. A ‘Kalesha’/silver pot with a coconut is kept on a small heap of rice and is placed in the ‘puja’ room before the deity till the end of all wedding rituals

The ‘Nischithambul’ or the engagement ceremony held on an auspicious date fixed by the Brahmin ‘pujari/priest is to announce the acceptance to the alliance by both the families. After a brief ‘puja’ the parents of the girl and boy exchange silver platters containing ‘Palathalambul’ such as coconuts, bananas, various other fruits and sweets. The groom’s parents gift the bride with a costly silk sari and gold jewelry and the bride’s parents, in turn, present the groom with gold chain or watch and clothes.

A traditional event, ‘Yedhur Kansani’, practiced by women from both families, is to get acquainted with each other. They carry, on silver platters, betel leaves folded in a specific manner, rice, coconuts, flowers, ‘sindoor’/vermilion, haldi/turmeric and rose water in a ‘gulab dani’, a long-necked silver jar, the most important item being a ‘kalesh kanadi’, a silver platter with a small heap of rice/ On this is placed a silver pot with a coconut decorated with mango leaves on top. A small mirror and a gold chain are also kept on top of it.

At the entrance of the wedding venue, the women from each family stand about 50ft apart facing each other. Amidst Vedic mantras the women from the bride’s side go to the groom’s relatives and welcome them with flowers, vermilion, turmeric and sprinkle rose water on them. Now the female members from the groom’s family honor the bride’s relatives by conducting the ritual in the same manner.

In the ritual, ‘thread ceremony’ the bride’s father extends a warm welcome to the groom at the entrance of the ‘pandol’/shed specially erected and her mother performs the traditional ‘aarti’ for him. The groom is then made to sit and the bride’s father washes his feet and ties the sacred thread known as ‘Jhanava’ on him
In the ritual ‘phool-mudi’, giving a warm reception to the bride, the groom’s mother decorates her hair with flowers and performing an ‘aarti for her she showers rice on her. Then she asks the ‘sumangalis’, married ladies present there, to bless her future daughter-in-law.

The traditional and religious ceremony ‘Urdha-moorthu’ is held in the houses of the bride and the groom separately. The bride sits next to a round grinding stone and with the help of her unmarried sisters and cousins she grinds two varieties of lentil, ‘urad dal’ and ‘moong dal’. The groom and his family attend this function. The groom also performs the same function attended by the bride and her family. After this ritual the family priest conducts the ‘Navagraha puja’, the prayer of the nine planets.
Now the groom, wearing a dhoti and slippers and holding an umbrella makes a mock pilgrimage attempt and the bride’s father prevents him by offering his daughter’s hand in marriage. At this the groom returns to get married.

‘Lagna’, the marriage ceremony consists of a lot of ‘pujas’/prayers and rituals conducted by two priests, representing each family. The bride’s brother leads the groom to the wedding venue in a decorated car. The bride makes her appearance in a nine-yard sari in the ‘Kasa’ style without a ‘pallu. She wears a matching blouse over which a white shawl either’ mulmul or georgette is draped in the ‘V’-shape to indicate her unmarried status.

When she enters the wedding ‘mantap’/platform with the help of the priest she performs a ‘puja’ or prayer known as ‘mantapratishta’ or ‘mantap puja’. Now her mother adorns her with a ‘kare-mani’ chain, a gold chain with a string of black beads strung on it and two ‘kare-mani’ bangles, gold bangles with black beads on it on her wrists.

The groom and a small male child are seated on a sofa outside the mantap and special prayer, known as the ‘shibika puja’ is held for him.
Then the bride’s father takes the groom to the wedding ‘mandap’.

Five ladies from the bride’s family bring gifts such as ‘lagna’ sari, ‘chautanam’ sari, two additional saris and the most important ‘mangalsutra’, a gold chain with red corals strung on it. The bride’s maternal uncle carries her to the wedding ‘mantap’ while the priests, holding a silk sheet between the bride and the groom chants Vedic mantras and announce the ‘gotras’/lineage and ‘pravaras’/pedigree of the two families to the invitees.

The marriage ceremony begins with the ‘kanyadaan’ in which the father lifting her, hands her over to the groom, entrusting her in the care of the groom. The ‘sutra-bandhan’ consists of encircling the couple with a nine-yard thread. In the ‘kangan-bandhan’ ceremony, the couple slips bangles on each other’s wrists to make sure that all the deities’ blessings will be showered on them all through the wedding ceremonies.

Next comes the most important part, the ‘mangalsutra’ wherein the groom ties the traditional necklace, the symbol of marital status, around her neck that she will wear all times. For the ‘vivah-havan’, the sacred fire is lighted by the ‘agni’/fire brought by the bride’s mother. In the ritual ‘laja-havan’, the bride’s brother or maternal uncle slips silver toe-rings on her toes and the couple walks around the fire with the end of her sari and his ‘shalu’/shawl tied in a sacred knot. Handfuls of ‘Laja’ or puffed rice is given to the bride and she offers it to the fire.

In the concluding ceremony, ‘havan-purnavati’ the couple is pronounced husband and wife.

Chautanan, a post wedding ritual, is a series of light hearted, fun-filled symbolic ceremonies. The bride makes the nuptial bed and keeps two new saris and two coconuts on it after which they feed each other a banana. In ‘Vore Ubarches’ the bride’s maternal uncle lifts the groom and his wife lifts the bride and they take a few steps carrying them.

In another fun-filled custom, a ring is dropped into a water-filled deep vessel and the bride and the groom search for it. The person who finds the ring first has to put it on the other one’s finger.

Then ‘tulsi puja’ and ‘puja’ for coconut palm are performed followed by a meal prepared by the bride served to all. The wedding ceremony comes to an end with the ‘mandal -viarjan’ in which the couple touches the elders’ feet for their blessings.

When the couple arrives at the groom’s house the groom’s sisters sit on the doorstep blocking the bride’s entry. Only when they are properly bribed the bride is allowed to enter. With her right foot she tips over a small cup of rice and her mother-in-law welcomes her with a brief ‘mangal aarti’ and she starts calling her new daughter-in- law by a new name.

For Assamese, the people of Assam a North Eastern State in India, wedding is a social occasion and do not try to consider it as a grand gala event. Simplicity and clinging to the age old practices are the essential features of an Assam wedding.

Assamese strictly follow the traditions maintained by their ancestors in their weddings and see that all the rituals are fulfilled properly.

The simplicity and elegance of the Assamese weddings make them much more attractive. As in any other Indian Hindu wedding Assam wedding is also classified into three sections, pre, post and wedding ceremonies. The Assamese have elaborate pre-wedding traditions. When a suitable alliance is found the horoscopes of the girl and the boy are exchanged between the two families. They, with the help of the astrologers, fix an auspicious date for the wedding.

In the pre-wedding ritual, “Juran”, as a mark of engagement a new ring is put on the bride’s finger. Assamese custom insists that the bride and the groom should take “Nowani”, ceremonial baths till the wedding day. During the ritual “Pani Tola” women draw water from the river or tank and while they walk in a procession they sing traditional wedding songs.

Assamese wedding ceremony is very simple, but is chic in a way. Assamese hold their wedding reception party before the wedding ceremony. Fish and meat are the prominent delicacies served in the feast. On the wedding day morning both the bride’s and the groom’s mothers go to a nearby river and collect holy water which is used afterwards for the ceremonial baths of the bride and groom in their respective houses.

When the groom’s wedding procession arrives, it is denied entry into the bride’s house until a large sum of money is handed over to the bride’s party. Then the bride’s mother gives a warm welcome to her future son-in-law and the bride’s younger sister washes his feet. The bride’s brother lifts and carries the groom to the wedding altar. The bridegroom is dressed up in the traditional ‘dhoti’ and ‘kurta’ with silk shawl draped across his shoulder.

Meanwhile the bride is given a mixture of curd, ghee, sugar, raw milk and honey known as “Panch-Amrit” to eat. She makes her entry into the altar on the shoulders of her maternal uncles. The bridal costume of an Assamese bride is either the traditional “Mekhla-Chadar or an expensive beautiful sari. ‘Mekhla’ is a lower flowing skirt and ‘chadar’ is the upper wrap. She also wears an upper blouse-like wrap called “Riha” that clings to the body making her more enchanting. The material used for the bridal outfits is “Muga silk” that has a natural golden color and becomes brighter after each wash. Bridal wears ate adorned with gold and silver threads to give her a marvelous getup on this special occasion. The golden jewelry that adorns an Assamese bride has some distinct features. The earrings, ‘Khopo Phod” looks like an orchid, yet another popular one “Lokaporo” has two gold or ruby bird figures joined together back to back. “Jethi poti” is a fabulous necklace having a wide band of cloth, bestowed with a row of small medallions and a beautiful locket at the centre. The large-sized silver bangle/bracelet coated with gold is known as “Gaam Kharu”.

All the wedding rituals are performed in front of the sacred fire. In the midst of chanting of Vedic mantras the bride and groom exchange their flower garlands and take certain vows. People blow conch shells to mark the occasion. The groom decorates his wife’s forehead with “Kumkum”/vermilion. Then one by one the friends and relatives bless the newly weds.

In the post wedding ceremony the couple leaves for the groom’s house where they are extended a warm reception and the groom’s mother performs the traditional “Aarti” to drive away the evil spirits.

Assamese tradition follows a custom in which the people offer prayers to two imaginary demons named “Khoba and “Khubuni” to bless the couple with a peaceful long lasting married life.

Jainism in India emphasizes the need for two different living organisms to co-exist and interact peacefully helping each other to grow. Jains consider wedding as a worldly affair and Jainism recommend marriage and family raising to all Jains. The traditional practices of the Jain wedding vary from community to community. For the Jains wedding is an open declaration by a man and a woman expressing their desire to live together for the entire life. Weddings are usually performed by the Jain pundits and are celebrated properly on a grand scale.
In the pre-wedding ritual, Leghana Lekhan, a pooja/prayer is held at the bride’s house before the relatives and the “Lagna”/”Muhurat”/the date and time of the wedding is fixed by the priest and at the end the “Lagna Patrika”, a letter informing the time of the wedding is sent to the groom’s house.
Sagai, the engagement ceremony held at the groom’s house, involves a ritual wherein the groom, with the traditional headgear and his hands washed performs the “Vinayakyantra” prayer after which the bride’s brother puts a tilak/bindi on the groom’s forehead and gives him a gold chain, ring, clothes, coconut, sweets and money. The “Lagna Patrika” is presented to the groom and when the priest reads out the “Patrika” the elders shower blessings on him.
‘Mada-Mandap’, an important ceremony held a day or two before wedding, is performed at the bride’s and groom’s houses, all the rituals being performed by the priest.
“Barati”takes place at the bride’s house. When “barat”/groom’s procession arrives the bride’s brother receives the groom by applying “tika” on his forehead and presents him with coconut, sweets, money and clothes. The groom in return applies tika on the brother’s forehead and gives him a coconut. The married women do an “Aarti” of the groom singing the “Mangala Geet”/auspicious song.
All the Jain brides wear only costly beautiful saris, the auspicious color being red or any other bright colors. She looks more attractive in a clinging matching blouse and traditional jewelry. She wears the jewelry as per her wish and choice depending upon the traditions followed in the state she belongs. The jewelry include gold necklaces studded with semi-precious stones or pearls, gold and glass bangles, earrings, diamond finger rings, noserings, etc.
The traditional costume of the groom is either Kurta-Pyjamas or Dhoti-Kurta with or without a turban.
Marriage rituals include “Kanyavaran/Kanyapradan” in which the bride’s parents or uncle keep one rupee and twenty –five paise (Indian Coins) and rice on the right hand of the bride and the father will publicly announce the formal giving away of his daughter to the groom to all those present there. At this time the priest pours water on the hands of the bride and groom and chants the mantras three times.
An auspicious time is fixed for the ritual “Phere” and the bride and groom are seated in the ‘mandap’/altar, the girl at the right side of the groom. They change their positions when they finish the seven vows. After the ‘Phere’, “Havan” begins wherein several mantras are chanted and recited and offerings are performed. At the end ‘Shanti mantra’ for peace is chanted nine times.
Granthi Bandhan, coming after Havan, has a married woman tying the corner of the pallu of the bride’s sari to the shawl of the groom along with the reciting of a mantra. Then the couple makes four circles of the fire, the bride leading during the first round. They exchange their seats The recitation of ‘Mahaveerakshak stoot’ could be heard in the background and the women sing the ‘Mangal Geet’ at that time.
After the rounds when the couple exchanges the seven vows one after another the priest asks the bride to sit on the left of the groom. Hereafter she will be known as Vamangi, meaning the left half of the body. The couple exchanges garlands and the ‘havan’ concludes with the Shantipath and Visarjan.
After marriage parents and relatives bless the couple along with the priest chanting a mantra. Now the bride gets ready to leave her house for her husband’s house.

Jammu-Kashmir is the northernmost state in India and Kashmir, the “Paradise on Earth,”is especially known for its picturesque scenic beauty all through the world. Since Kashmir is situated in the eye-catching Himalayan Valleys snow-clad mountain peaks, stretching plains with flower beds and frizzy air and tall trees are not a rare sight. Kashmiris have entirely different traditions as seen in their folk-lore, costumes, culture and cuisines. Kashmiris are one of the colorful people on the earth.
Kashmir population is a mixture of Hindus and Muslims. The Hindu Brahmins/Pundits are divided into two main sects—the Raija Pundits following non-vegetarian diet and the Shaka Pundits following a vegetarian one. But in both cases only the elders decide and arrange the weddings when the horoscopes of the girl and boy are found matching by the astrologers.
The pre-wedding rituals begin with the “Bhandawar” a string of mango leaves hung at the entrance of the house, a symbolic way of announcing the wedding. On this auspicious day floral designs named “Krool” are painted on the entrance wall using “Muttani Mitti” (white clay) soaked in water and mixed with various colors.
“Badia” ceremony involves the bride’s family sending “Badias”, small sun-dried salted cakes having holes in the middle with silver coins in them, to the groom’s family as an acceptance of the wedding between the two families.
During “Shagun” ceremony the “Vaza”/cook makes porridge of rice and finely chopped goat intestines and this special porridge is fed to all invitees. In the “Mehenze Raat”/Mehendi ceremony, performed in the night, intricate, beautiful designs are made all over the palms, forearms and the feet up to the ankles of the bride.
The groom’s family shows the first acceptance of the wedding by sending jewelry, created entirely by flowers like fresh red roses and jasmine, to the bride’s family and the bride is decorated with jewelry like flower necklaces, earrings, the tikka, anklets, waistband, armbands etc.
Every evening till the wedding “Wanvun”- a music session- is held in the bride’s and groom’s houses. “Devgun”, a ritual held simultaneously in the houses of the girl and boy, has six unmarried girls tying curds/yogurt in a muslin cloth and holding it over the heads of them pour water through it to bathe them. While the “Pundit/priest conducts a puja around the sacred fire, “Dajeharooh”, a sacred thread is passed through the hole in the middle ear cartilage of the bride signifying she is now ready for the matrimony.
In an evening function the groom’s family sends a carved decorated wooden chest containing “Sanz varu/decorative things like “Pashmina Shawl” and cosmetics for the bride. In the ritual, “Sehera bandi” the groom’s brother-in-law helps to tie the traditional head-dress called “Pagadi”, stitched from Banarasi silk material and the floral veil “Sehera for the groom.
The costume is very elaborate for the Kashmiri bride. She wears a headwear,”Tarang”, with a long cap called “Kalpush” that is folded 2-3 times and has silk or cotton lining from inside. Over the cap she wears the beautiful bridal ‘dupatta.’ “Tarang” has two pins with black and golden heads fitted into it. The Kashmiri brides go for a tight trousers and heavily embroidered “Kurta.” A belt called “Haligandun” with embroidery on the loose ends is tied to the bride’s waist. The bride wears traditional jewelry all made of silver. The necklace is a silver chain with heavy pendants having intricate motifs and designs carved on them. The heavy earrings are shaped in the form of a bell. The necklaces and earrings are usually embellished with the gem, sapphire. The bride’s dupatta, fringed with gold threads and sequins, acts as a frame for her head ornament, plaques of beaten and incised silver with its pendants falling below the eyebrows. Noserings and studs are also very popular among Kashmiri brides. The ornaments are made more attractive with designs made of mirror and beads. She wears an interesting almond-shaped gold ornament, presented by her maternal uncle, known as Dejihorn having two holes and hangs from a red cotton thread tied at the hole in the centre of the ear lobe.
The traditional wear for the groom is a “Pheran” and a waistband, the other accessories being a sword at his waistband and “Paazar” (embroidered local shoes) on feet.
“Lagan”, the actual wedding, is fixed either during “dohlagan/daytime or rotlagan/night time. When the groom’s procession reaches the bride’s house the bride’s people extend a warm reception to them and the priest leads them to the wedding altar. In the wedding ceremony the bride and groom sit along with the priest who describes their duties in front of the sacred fire followed by a ritual, “”Athulas”, wherein the couple crosses their arms one over the other and holds hands while their hands are covered with a cloth. “Mananmal”, a golden thread, is tied to the foreheads of the boy and girl and their left feet, one upon the other, are placed on a “kajwat”/a grinding stone. Then they make the first “Phera”/round around the fire by stepping on seven one rupee coins placed in a circle and the remaining six circles are made while the Vedic mantras are chanted. The wedding ceremony comes to an end with the bride and groom feeding each other some food of rice.
Post wedding rituals include “Vidai”- departing of the bride to her husband’s house, “Satraat- revisit of the couple to the bride’s house for dinner the same evening and “Valeena”/reception- the groom taking his new wife to his house for the reception hosted by the groom’s family.

Arya Samaj, a Hindu Reform Movement, was founded in India by Swami Dayananda in 1875. “Make This World Noble” is the first and foremost aim of the Samaj. The rituals of the Arya Samaj wedding are not elaborate, though the rites are few they are very rich in significance. A unique feature of this wedding is that the meaning of the Vedic mantras/hymns, chanted during the process, is explained to the couple so that the importance of the hymns is not wasted. Any one from any religion can opt for an Arya Samaj wedding and the pre and the post-wedding rituals are performed on the regional and cultural basis of the couples. The Arya Samajis give utmost priority to “Agni”/fire worship in their weddings and the rituals are performed with “Agni”/fire as the main witness. The weddings emphasize the change of the couple from “Brahmacharya ashram”, the state of celibacy to Grihastrashram”, the life of married people.
Pre-wedding rituals include a music session held at the bride’s house a few days prior to the wedding. Bride’s girl friends and female relatives participate in this session, singing folk and wedding songs.
Mehendi ceremony, performed on the eve of wedding at the bride’s house, has a friend or mehendi artist applying henna/mehendi on the bride’s hands and feet in beautiful and intricate designs. Henna is applied on the hands of the female friends and relatives too.
“Brahmbhoj”, feeding sixteen Brahmins on the morning of the wedding, is considered very auspicious by the Arya Samajis. On the wedding day, the bride’s maternal uncle puts on red ivory bangles on her wrists and helps her wear a large circular nose ring/’nath’, a ritual practiced by North Indians, like the Punjabis.
Usually the bride wears a resplendent red or any bright color sari she selects for her wedding, but she can opt for a flowing flare lehenga-choli or a chic-stylish salwaar-kameez depending upon the customs of the state she belongs. Similarly there is no compulsion for her to wear a particular set of jewelry. She prefers to wear the traditional gold ornaments of her state such as necklaces, bangles, earrings, noserings, anklets, toerings etc.
The groom also wears the costume of his choice like dhoti-kurta, kurta-pyjamas or dhoti-angavastram. He may or may not wear a turban.
The wedding ceremony starts in an Arya Samaj wedding hall with the exchange of garlands between the bride and the groom. She gives him a pitcher of water with which he washes his feet, hands and lastly face, showing how a good wife should welcome her husband. Next the bride puts a mixture of curd, ghee and honey, an Ayurvedic medicine for any imbalances in the body, into the groom’s cupped hands and he scatters it in all directions and eats the remaining mixture, the ritual being known as “Madhupark se satkar.” This rite highlights the duties of a wife and a husband, how the wife should feed and nurture and the husband should provide for their family.
The groom is given the sacred thread to wear and the “Yagnya”, symbolizing the worship of fire, starts. In “Kanyadaan” the bride’s parents give away her to the groom’s family with the priest chanting Vedic mantras, repeated by the couple holding their hands together. At the end, the couple makes a “phera”/circle around the fire. “Pratigya Mantra” sees, holding hands together, the couple takes wedding vows and walks around the fire.
The ritual “Shilarohan” has the bride’s brother places her right foot on a stone while the groom chants mantras/hymns. He wants his sister’s married life be as strong, firm and steadfast as the stone and by offering puffed rice he assures her that she can take back plenty after each visit to her parents’ house. “Parikrama” is a ritual in which the couple makes four “pheras”/circles around the fire, the bride praying for her husband’s health and also for a happy healthy marital relationship with him. The groom, on his part, vows that he will show reverence and respect to all women.
“Kesh Mochan” is a unique ritual with the groom undoing his wife’s hair to let it fall down freely. In a mantra/hymn he promises that his actions would never hurt her and make her separate from him. “Saptapadikriya” involves tying the ends of the bride’s sari and the groom’s shawl and the seven steps taken by them, signifying the seven things essential for a peaceful happy married life.
The other important rituals are “Suryadarshan’-worship of sun by the couple, “Hriday Sparsh”-touching each other’s heart, an indication to be tender and kind with one another, “Sindoor Daan”-applying “kumkum”/vermilion along the parting of the bride’s hair by her husband three times and “Dhruv Darshan”-viewing the star “Dhruv”/The Pole Star, known for its constancy, by the couple and the Great Bear Constellation, made up of two stars-“Arundhati” and “Vasisht”, never separated from each other.
In the post-wedding ceremony, the sister-in-law removes the “chudha”/bangle worn by the bride on the wedding day after a couple of months (the actual time period is one month to one year depending on one’s custom) and she gifts her with another set of clothes and jewelry on the same DAY.

In Kerala, the Southern most state of India, most Hindus except the malayali Brahmins follow the same basic traditional customs with slight variations depending upon the caste and community in conducting their weddings. They are very simple with few rites and rituals.
Pre wedding rituals start with the comparison of the horoscopes of the boy and girl by their family astrologers and if they found matching an auspicious date for the engagement ceremony known as “Jathakam Kodukkal” is fixed, In the engagement ceremony, held at he bride’s residence, the official announcement of the wedding takes place before a gathering of close relatives and friends and the wedding date is also finalized. The presence of the groom and bride are not required.
Traditionally the weddings were conducted in the bride’s house, but now they are mostly held in temples (places of worship) or wedding halls, The wedding altar, “Kathirmandapam” is completely decorated with flowers and two tall “Nila Vilakku”, a lamp lighted by oil and thread, a tray of jasmine or rose flowers, and a “Kindi” a type of vessel with a spout having water in it, are placed at the entrance. “Para, a cylindrical wooden vessel used for measuring purposes, with full of paddy and a bunch of coconut flowers inserted in the midst of it, is also kept in the “mandapam”.
On the day prior to the wedding the “Mangalasutra”/”Alilathali” (a yellow thread intertwined with a strong gold thread having a tiny pendant in the shape of a banyan leaf) is kept before the deity of the Goddess in a temple and the priest offers ‘pooja’/prayer three times. On the wedding morning when the bride and a close relative like aunt, sister etc go to the temple the priest hands over the “thali” to the relative.
Before the wedding ceremony the bride’s brother gives a warm reception to the groom by washing his feet, sprinkling ‘panineer’/rose water and applying sandal paste to the forehead of the groom. He also gives the groom a lemon, garland and bouquet and escorts him to the ‘kathir mandapam’. At the entrance the groom is welcomed by 5, 7, or 9 girls showing “Ashtamangalyam”, a tray containing flowers, betel nuts, vermilion powder, an Indian coin and a small lighted lamp. The groom wears a white/off white “Mundu”,/Veshti/Dhoti and “Jubba”, a full-sleeved, close-neck top longer than a shirt with side slits.
The bride also receives the same kind of welcome when she arrives at the mandapam. Both the bride and groom offer flowers to the “Nila vilakku three times. The traditional wear of a bride is a two piece white/off white sari called “Set Mundu” with a thick zari border. But present brides wear very expensive Kancheepuam silk saris with thick zari border and the body embroidered with golden threads. The matching blouse/choli clings to the body making the bride more enchanting. The color of the sari could be either bright like red, maroon, magenta, deep green, navy blue, deep yellow etc or any pleasing light ones except white or black. She is adorned with traditional jewelry such as “Netti Chutti”, worn along the parting of the hair, golden “Jhimki and the supporting “Maattal” on the ears, stone studded “Tirukkuppu” on the hair at the back of the head and gold necklaces like “Nagapada thali”, “Palakka mala, “Laxmi thali and “Kasu mala”. The modern brides prefer “Palakka mala” designed in a different way, light-weight fashionable necklaces and “Pavan mala” of gold. She also wears plain and stone-studded bangles on both hands, gold “Padaswarams”/anklets and a gold hip chain/waist band embellished with stones and pearls.
The bride and groom are seated in the wedding altar, the bride on the left side of the groom, and the groom just places the ‘mangalasutra around her neck while the ritual is completed by the groom’s sister who ties the knots followed by the exchange of rings with the names of the bride and groom on them. Now occurs the most important ritual of the wedding, “Pudava Kodukkal” in which the groom offers a very expensive “Pudava” along with an equally dazzling sari to the bride and adorns her neck with a costly beautiful necklace. The couple exchanges garlands and in the “Kanyadaan, placing a betel leaf on the right hand of the groom the bride’s father keeps her right hand over it. The couple makes three “pheras”/circles around the ‘mandapam’ altogether. Before leaving the venue the groom’s mother gives a small box of vermilion powder to the groom and he applies a vermilion ‘sindoor’/’bindi’ to the bride’s forehead below the parting of the hair.
In the last ritual “Grahapravesh”, the couple proceeds to the groom’s house where the bride is received with an “Aarti” by her mother-in-law and she steps into the house with her right foot first.