Tamil wedding ceremony doesn't involve much of extravagancy. Usually, a wedding hall is booked, which is beautifully decorated with flowers and lights. According to the Tamil calendar, the months of Aashad (July 15th to August 15th), Bhadrapad (September 15th to October 15th) and Shunya (December 15th to January 15th) are considered inauspicious for weddings. Read on to explore information on Tamil matrimonial customs & traditions…

In this section, we will provide you information on traditional Tamil marriage rituals:

Pre Wedding Rituals

    * Panda Kaal Muhurtham Custom
    * Receiving the Groom
    * Vratham
    * Pallikai Thellichal Ceremony
    * Naandi and Jaanavaasam tradition
    * Nicchiyadharatham
    * Reading of Lagna Pathirigai

Wedding Rituals

    * Mangala Snaanam
    * Kashi Yatra
    * Exchange of garlands
    * Oonjal
    * Kanyadaanam
    * Muhurtum
    * Saptapadi

Post Wedding Rituals

    * Sammandhi Mariyathai Ceremony
    * Laaja Homam
    * Paaladaanam Custom
    * Grihapravesham
    * Reception

Post-Wedding Tamil Rituals
Sammandhi Mariyathai Ceremony
It is a ceremony in which the families of the newly weds, as per their status, exchange gifts and clothes.

Laaja Homam & Paaladaanam Custom
The bride's brother gives the groom popped rice, which he offers to the holy fire. That ways, the couple seeks the blessings of Agni that represents the divine power and light of God.

As a part of Paaladaanam custom, the couple seeks the blessings of the senior members of the family.

Grihapravesham
After the completion of wedding ceremony, the bride is taken to her husband's house. As she enters her new home, Aarti is performed. Delicious lunch is served at the wedding venue, when the newly wedded couple returns from home.

Reception
To facilitate intimacy, the groom's family hosts a reception party in the evening. People bless the newly weds and convey them their heartiest wishes.

Pre Wedding Tamil Rituals

Panda Kaal Muhurtham Custom
To seek the blessings of divine God, Panda Kaal Muhurtham custom is performed. Basically, a small ritual is carried out one day before marriage, in which both the families offer prayers to the Lord. This is done to ensure that the matrimonial preparations proceed smoothly.

Receiving the Groom
When the groom's family reaches the wedding venue on the morning of one day before the wedding, they are greeted by the bride's family. They are offered a tray containing flowers, paan supari, fruits and mishri. In their welcome, rosewater is sprinkled on them.

The bride's brother adorns the groom's forehead by applying tilak made from the mixture of sandalwood paste and kumkum. He also puts a garland around the groom's neck. After that, the bride's mother serves a delicious dessert prepared from condensed milk. Thereafter, aarti is performed by an elder female member of the bride's family. To ward off the evil eye, a coconut is broken on the ground.

Vratham & Pallikai Thellichal Ceremony
Vratham takes place one day before the wedding. It is performed by the bride as well as groom's family. It is during the performance of this ritual that Vedic hymns are recited by all present. It is conducted by the priest (Vaadyar). This ritual is basically performed to invoke the blessings of ancestors and divine God.

Pallikai Thellichal ceremony is also held a day before the wedding. It involves the filling of clay pots with nine varieties of grains. Married ladies pour water from both the sides. Traditional songs are sung. When the grains are kept in water for a day or two, they sprout. Then the clay pots are kept inside the pond, so that the fishes can feed on the grains and give their blessings to the newly wedded couple.

Naandi & Jaanavaasam
In the Naandi ceremony, Brahmins are honored by offering them gifts and sweets. They are specially invited and the families seek their blessings, to ensure that the marriage proceedings are smooth.

Jaanavaasam tradition doesn't have much of relevance in today's times. The groom boards a beautifully decorated car and is accompanied by a large marriage procession of close friends and relatives. Professional musicians are called upon to play the traditional wedding songs. Fireworks form part of marriage celebrations. The bride's brother garlands the bridegroom and gives him a warm welcome at the entrance of wedding hall.

Nicchiyadharatham
The bride's parents offer prayers to Lord Ganesha, who is believed to remove all obstacles. A puja is conducted in the presence of priest. The groom's family presents a new sari to the bride. Her forehead is adorned with a tilak made from chandan and kumkum and the end part of her sari is filled with fruits, paan-supari, turmeric, kumkum and coconut. Also a flower garland is tied around her waist. Aarti is done for the bride.

Reading of Lagna Pathirigai
The priest has an important role to play in the reading of Lagna Pathirigai. He also announces other details related to marriage like the muhurtam and wedding venue. Thereafter, mouthwatering lavish dinner is served.

Tamil Wedding Rituals

Mangala Snaanam & Kashi Yatra
On the dawn of the wedding day, the bride and groom have Mangal snaanam (auspicious holy bath) in their respective homes. Before the bath, oil and tilak of haldi-kumkum is applied to them.

After having the mangala snaanam, the bridegroom pretends that he is leaving for Kashi and he is no more interesting in performing the role of a householder. He stops only when the girl's father persuades him to take the responsibility of his daughter. Then the groom heads his way for the wedding pandal, where the bride receives him.

Exchange Of Garlands & Oonjal
It involves the exchanging of garlands between the bride and groom three times. This ceremony is full of fun and frolic.

After the couple has succeeded in exchanging their garlands thrice, they are seated together on a swing. Married ladies give the newly weds spoonful of milk and banana pieces to eat.

Kanyadaanam & Muhurtum
As the groom reaches the mandapam, the bride's father welcomes his son-in-law. The groom's mother-in-law puts kajal in his eyes. Thereafter, his father-in-law washes his feet, considering him to be a form of God. The bride is then seated in her father's lap with a coconut in her hands. Thereafter, the bride and her father offer coconut to the bridegroom. In the meantime, the bride's mother puts water over the coconut. This gesture symbolizes the giving away of their daughter. The bridegroom's family presents their daughter-in-law a nine-yard sari that she has to wear at the time of tying of Mangalsutra.

Seeking the help of her sister-in-law and aunts, the bride wears the nine-yard sari and enters the mandapam. A sack of paddy is kept on the floor and the bride's father is made to sit on it. The bride is asked to sit on her father's lap. Paddy represents abundance and good fortune. The yoke of a farmer's plough is taken and touched to the forehead of the bride. It is done with the hope that the couple will always walk together. The priest and the relatives touch the Mangalsutra and thereby bless the couple. After that, this sacred thread is handed over to the bridegroom. He puts it around his wife's neck and ties two knots. The third knot is tied by the groom's sister. The three knots represent the union of mind, spirit and body.

Saptapadi
The bridegroom takes his wife's right hand in his left hand and leads her around the holy fire seven times. In every round, she touches her feet to the grindstone hoping that their union will be firm forever.