In the Tamil Nadar community, blessings from Ancestors are considered to be sacred and divine. Each family has their ancestors who have been the protectors of the entire family. They are remembered and offered poojas during any auspicious event in the family. The Tamil Nadar matrimony ceremony is full of events in which the blessings of ancestors are sought with utmost attention and sincerity.
\n\nSpeciality of Padayal Ritual in Tamil Nadar Weddings
\nThere is a separate ceremony solely to gain the ancestral blessings before the newlywed couple begins their life together. This event takes place in both the houses just after the Swami Kumbiduthal or Pooja ceremony. The photos of the ancestors are placed with great care in a clean and special room. The ancestors are worshipped by lighting a kuthuvilakku. The family members get together and prayers are held to ensure that the couple is blessed with all the happiness and joy for a lifetime. The personal belongings of the ancestors like spectacles, pens, books, etc are also placed near the photos. Sandalwood and Kumkum are applied to the photos. For female ancestors, only kumkum is applied.
Procedure
\nSpecial offerings called padayal are placed on silver plates. They contain coconuts, fruits, flowers, sandal paste, Kumkum, etc. The ornaments and clothes bought for the wedding purpose are also placed nearby. Banana leaves in odd numbers, filled with food varieties like sweet Pongal, Rava panniyaram and other eatables are offered to the ancestors. The bride and groom pray to their respective ancestors and ask for blessings in every step of their new life.
The Tamil Nadar community beliefs are based on strong faith and trust, that the family prospers upon receiving the blessings of their forefathers. Following such customs is considered to be auspicious and is conducted with pride. Even today, the elders of the family make sure that such customs are practiced where the younger generation obeys and participates wholeheartedly.
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Mappillai Azahaippu is a ritual conducted in weddings to welcome the Nadar grooms.
\n\nAfter the 'Aarti' the bride's father garlands the groom and the parents then welcome the groom's parents and relatives with great warmth, respect, and excitement. The groom then proceeds for the next set of rituals.
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The Tamil Nadar wedding is an event that leaves you awestruck with all the festivities. There are customs and rituals each day which are believed to be auspicious for a great beginning. These wedding rituals are rich in cultural value and are filled with aesthetic beauty. You can see the culmination of age-old tradition celebrated in modern times in subtle and simple ways. There are a series of pre-wedding as well as post-wedding rituals that keep you engaged and interested throughout the entire function.
\n\nWhat is the Significance of Garlanding Ceremony in Tamil Nadar Weddings?
\nThe flower garland wearing ceremony is considered to be the first of the many rituals in the Tamil wedding. Once the marriage has been approved and fixed, the auspicious date and time (Muhurtham) are fixed by the elders of both families. On a particular date before the wedding, the groom's relatives including his mother, sister and cousins pay a visit to the bride's home. They bring along a lot of gifts like dresses, jewellery, snacks, etc. The most important and interesting feature is the arrival of Maalai, i.e. the garlands and other floral decorations for the bride. The mother-in-law garlands her to-be daughter-in-law and decorates the bride with flowers. If the groom’s mother is not able to attend this ritual, the garlanding is done by his sister.
The other female members also help decorate the bride with beautiful flowers. She is made to look her best with all pretty flowers. This ritual is an event where the bride can get to know her new family members and can bond with them. She also gets the blessing of all her relatives as well as that of the groom. The to-be mother-in-law also applies Vibhuti or Kumkum on her forehead as a sign of blessing and prosperity.
\n\nThe Garland ceremony is a joyful and interesting event as it is full of happiness and laughter. The whole atmosphere is filled with positive vibes and the fragrance of beautiful flowers.
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Tamil Nadar weddings exhibit the splendour and prosperity of the Nadar community. These sharp business-minded people are a group that upholds family values and age-old traditions. One can easily see the rich cultural heritage in each ceremony performed during the wedding.
\n\nWhat is Aduppu Thinnai Poduthal in Tamil Nadar Weddings?
\nThere are several festive ceremonies involved in the Tamil Nadar Hindu matrimony. Each has its significance and is a means of showering blessings upon the newly wedded couple. Out of these numerous fun-filled ceremonies, the Aduppu Thinnai Poduthal is an important function. Aduppu thinnai poduthal literally means getting the stove ready. So does the significance of this ritual.
Aduppu Thinnai Poduthal takes place right after the Padayal ceremony during which the bride and groom pray for the blessings of their ancestors. It happens a day before the wedding. A significant female member from the groom’s family visits the bride's home in the evening. They build a small clay oven in the kitchen. This is considered to be an auspicious beginning with a special bond created between the families. The groom’s family is entrusting their new member with the responsibility of cooking and keeping the family healthy.
\n\nIt is considered all over the world that food brings people together. The joy of cooking and sharing a meal over the same table is what is being shared and encouraged, during this ceremony.
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Tamil Nadar weddings have some very interesting rituals. Once the wedding has been fixed, a ceremony similar to the engagement function takes place. This is called the Poo Vaithal ritual. The main significance of the traditional ritual is establishing the bond between the mother in law and daughter in law. Here the most important element is the presence of flowers. Flowers adorn the house and there are floral decorations everywhere. The groom's family brings gifts of coconuts, flowers, bananas, etc. They come bearing gifts of love and are eager to establish good relations with the bride's family.
\n\nWhat is the Significance of Poo Vaithal Ritual in Tamil Nadar Weddings?
\nThe groom's side brings gifts to the bride such as betel leaves, coconut, turmeric, flowers, fruits and sweets. The ritual in this ceremony is the ‘Poo Vaithal’ meaning placing the flower, where the future mother-in-law gives the flower to the bride symbolizing acceptance of the girl as an addition to the family thereby giving her blessing for the marriage.
If the girl consents to get married to her son, she allows the to-be mother-in-law to place the flowers on her head. Likewise, if the girl is not keen on getting married to this boy, she has the full liberty to disagree with the request to place flowers on her head. The other female relatives and the sisters-in-law also have their turn respectively. Instead of exchanging rings, the flowers are the main symbol of confirming the engagement. Nowadays there have been slight changes to the function.
\n\nEarlier in the Hindu wedding, the groom used to stay away as he was supposed to leave the decision making to the elders of the family. These days, the groom also accompanies his family members to the Poo Vaithal function. There are instances where the ring exchange also takes place.
\n\nThe Poo Vaithal ceremony is a good example of a ritual that forms the strong foundation between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. It is expected that the mother-in-law sees the new girl as her daughter itself. It is important in any family that the women of the house share a healthy connection and try to live happily. Once this bond is firm, the whole household will reflect happiness and joy.
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Kanyadaanam is an emotional ritual that is conducted in all Hindu weddings. Nadar Vamsam considers their daughters and daughters-in-law as Goddess Lakshmi. As per tradition, the groom is considered as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and hence he is given utmost respect by the bride's parents and they are giving away their precious daughter as a gift to the Lord.
\n\nWhat Happens During Kanyadanam in Tamil Nadar Weddings
\nThe Kanyadanam is the important ritual in the Nadar community where the bride’s father gives away his daughter to the groom as a precious gift. The bride is adorned in silk and is dressed up beautifully with gold jewellery.
Tamil Nadar Hindu weddings are full of fun and laughter. It is the perfect venue for the entire family to catch up and fill in stories. The thrill begins as soon as the marriage is fixed and planning for all the upcoming rituals are undertaken with great enthusiasm. From deciding on the clothes to be worn at each ceremony to organising the food, guest list, gift exchange items, etc. each detail becomes a joint effort. There are pre-wedding as well as post-wedding rituals that ensure that the celebrations last for 3 – 6 days.
\n\nWhat is Paalum Pazhamum Ritual in Tamil Nadar Weddings?
\nPost-wedding functions are also very interesting in the Tamil wedding rituals. All these ceremonies aim in bringing the couple closer and building a strong foundation for their married life. The new couple is given a chance to mingle with each other and overcome the initial shyness while enjoying the celebration with the entire family. One such event is the Paalum Pazhamum (translates to milk and fruit) ritual.
This takes place at the bride’s residence and has scope for a lot of laughter and fun. The sisters and cousins of the bride get ready with a tumbler of milk and bananas. They make the couple take sips of the milk and also encourage them to take bites off the banana. This turns into play and games as the cousins take turns in feeding the new couple. They continue until the couple overcome their shyness and start to mingle with ease. This ritual brings the couple closer to the families as well.
\n\nThe wedding is seen as a time for the families to come together and have loads of fun. You can call it the perfect time for a family to get together which also helps to re-establish bonds among family members.
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Nadars in Tamil Nadu perform an interesting ritual before the wedding and are called the gold melting ceremony or the Ponn Urukku. The Thaali which is considered as the most important jewelry in a Hindu wedding is made from gold.
\n\nProcedure in Gold Melting Ritual in Tamil Nadar Weddings
\n\nThe Nadar community is famous for its gold and diamond jewellery. The bride gets a lot of gold gifts from her parents, some are a family heirloom and others are brought based on the current trend. She also gets some from the groom's side as well. But there is no hard and fast rule that these things should be given, it is mostly dependent on the gold price and the financial condition of the bride's parents.
","summary":""},"path":{"alias":"/wedding-rituals/tamil/nadar/pre-wedding-ritual-tamil-nadar-weddings-gold-melting"},"field_image":{"alt":"Gold-Melting in Tamil Nadar Weddings"},"relationships":{"field_tags":[{"id":"503bfdc7-99b6-5e45-9aca-457ac5425c96","name":"Nadar","weight":5},{"id":"b8620fe1-4b58-5a2f-b071-2c4b26e48b21","name":"Tamil","weight":0},{"id":"f7342040-b19d-5fff-a235-4e49be5a6db6","name":"Wedding Rituals","weight":34}],"field_image":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1,"src":"/static/e8bb089b41d1131c2b8eb32f4966c991/630fb/Gold-Melting.png","srcSet":"/static/e8bb089b41d1131c2b8eb32f4966c991/5db04/Gold-Melting.png 75w,\n/static/e8bb089b41d1131c2b8eb32f4966c991/6d161/Gold-Melting.png 150w,\n/static/e8bb089b41d1131c2b8eb32f4966c991/630fb/Gold-Melting.png 300w,\n/static/e8bb089b41d1131c2b8eb32f4966c991/62b1f/Gold-Melting.png 450w,\n/static/e8bb089b41d1131c2b8eb32f4966c991/46604/Gold-Melting.png 500w","sizes":"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px"}}}}}},{"id":"9a99413d-7696-504e-922c-475acf737f67","drupal_id":"f4a1ab8c-4913-42e2-a1b3-096474e95c39","title":"Post Wedding Ritual In Tamil Nadar Weddings - Pattana Pravesam","created":"2020-09-19T02:08:41+00:00","body":{"processed":"Tamil Nadar weddings are filled with culturally elaborate rituals and ceremonies that uphold family traditions. While planning a Nadar wedding, the elders of the family make sure that all the rituals take place according to their belief system and inherited values. This makes the customs followed extraordinary and divine.
\n\nTheir traditional culture is reflected throughout the wedding. The guests are sure to enjoy an unforgettable experience filled with love and laughter at all South Indian weddings. The pre-wedding as well as post-wedding rituals are equally interesting and have all the splendour and gaiety as the wedding ceremony itself.
\n\nSignificance of Pattana Pravesam Ritual In Tamil Nadar Weddings
\nAnother important event post the wedding is the Pattana pravesam. This is one of the traditional Hindu marriage rituals that take place as the new couple enters the groom’s town. The bride's sister carries a lighted lamp called kuthuvilakku (a sacred lamp). Together with her, the couple walks through the streets of the town where they are welcomed by the residents.
In some cases, even a car or a chariot is used. The groom’s family gets an opportunity to show their position and dignity in their native town. The new couple prays in front of the temples and seeks blessings of the Lord. They break coconuts as offering in each of the wayside temples. This is a symbol of respect and the new couple gains the blessings which enables them to start a blessed life.
\n\nThe groom's family takes special care to make the bride feel welcomed to their town and residence. They keep in mind that she has left behind her beloved family and is ready to take up her position in their family. The post-wedding rituals are meant to make her feel comfortable in her new home. The new couple is showered with blessings and they are ready to begin a great journey together.
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Post-wedding functions are considered to be significant in Tamil Nadar weddings. They symbolise auspicious beginnings in the couple’s journey ahead. Hence the Nadar matrimonials, which have deep-rooted beliefs in family tradition, conduct each one of the post-wedding rituals with great care and attention. One of the important rituals followed is the Madi Nirappudhal ceremony.
\n\nWhy Madi Nirappudhal Ritual In Tamil Nadar Wedding?
\n\nOnce the couple complete the Pattana pravesham and Sitharu Thengai poduthal, they are ready to enter the groom’s residence. Here the bride is given a grand welcome by her new sister-in-law. They perform an Aarthi to ward off any evil eye and to pour blessings on the new couple. The presence of a Diya is always considered auspicious in the Tamil wedding rituals. The same applies when the bride is entering her new household.
\n\nThe sister-in-law arranges a plate with different items and welcomes her brother's partner into their family. After this, a few relatives from the groom's side accompany the couple back to the Kalyana Mahal at the Bride’s native place. This is called the Madi Nirappudhal ceremony. Madi means the stomach and nirappudhal means filling it up. Here a grand feast awaits them. There are special dishes which are mouth-watering and reflect the splendour of the Nadar weddings. They enjoy the feast and join in all the festivities that continue to be celebrated.
\n\nTamil Nadar weddings are indeed a feast for all eyes and have to be savoured slowly, taking delight in each bite. Every ritual or function is meant to bring a lovely couple together in holy union. The positive atmosphere influences the entire crowd and everyone is left to enjoy a few days of relaxation and joy.
","summary":""},"path":{"alias":"/wedding-rituals/tamil/nadar/post-wedding-ritual-tamil-nadar-wedding-madi-nirappudhal"},"field_image":{"alt":"Madi Nirappudhal in Tamil Nadar Weddings"},"relationships":{"field_tags":[{"id":"503bfdc7-99b6-5e45-9aca-457ac5425c96","name":"Nadar","weight":5},{"id":"b8620fe1-4b58-5a2f-b071-2c4b26e48b21","name":"Tamil","weight":0},{"id":"f7342040-b19d-5fff-a235-4e49be5a6db6","name":"Wedding Rituals","weight":34}],"field_image":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1,"src":"/static/1e743b302fc6a4074fd20ad9888d4383/9dc27/Tamil%2520Nadar%2520Madi%2520Nirappudhal.jpg","srcSet":"/static/1e743b302fc6a4074fd20ad9888d4383/25b50/Tamil%2520Nadar%2520Madi%2520Nirappudhal.jpg 75w,\n/static/1e743b302fc6a4074fd20ad9888d4383/aabdf/Tamil%2520Nadar%2520Madi%2520Nirappudhal.jpg 150w,\n/static/1e743b302fc6a4074fd20ad9888d4383/9dc27/Tamil%2520Nadar%2520Madi%2520Nirappudhal.jpg 300w,\n/static/1e743b302fc6a4074fd20ad9888d4383/32fd5/Tamil%2520Nadar%2520Madi%2520Nirappudhal.jpg 450w,\n/static/1e743b302fc6a4074fd20ad9888d4383/4fe8c/Tamil%2520Nadar%2520Madi%2520Nirappudhal.jpg 600w,\n/static/1e743b302fc6a4074fd20ad9888d4383/ed853/Tamil%2520Nadar%2520Madi%2520Nirappudhal.jpg 1042w","sizes":"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px"}}}}}},{"id":"c2cf3b23-6d52-5c6b-98ec-7ed9965bd02e","drupal_id":"641220a9-dc75-4984-bb36-9c5782d6844a","title":"Pre-Wedding Rituals in Tamil Nadar Weddings - Pen Parthal Padalam","created":"2020-08-31T01:13:50+00:00","body":{"processed":"A Tamil Nadar wedding is full of traditional splendour and joyful get-togethers. They are a community that believes strongly in holding their customs and rituals close to the heart. There are no shortcuts in any of the wedding rituals. The Nadar caste rituals have a significant meaning and importance in the life of the new couple. All these rituals are strictly followed with prayers and blessings all the way.
\n\nHighlights of Pen Parthal Padalam Ritual in Tamil Nadar Weddings
\nOnce a girl in the Nadar community attains the age of marriage, her parents start looking for a prospective groom. They get in touch with marriage brokers, wedding planners and other relatives. The word of mouth is also a reliable means of finding a suitable groom. The aim behind such an elaborate search is to get a groom from a suitable family. A Tamil wedding is seen as the union among two families. So the elder generation plays a very important role in selecting suitable partners for their children. The close relatives of the groom meet the bride and her family first. If they consider the match to be suitable for both sides, they proceed in checking the astrological match between the new couple. This is a mandatory step in Nadar weddings.
If the horoscopes also match, then, the relatives fix an auspicious date to come and see the girl. This function is called the Pen Parthal Padalam. Pen Parthal Padalam literally means the journey to see the girl. It takes place mainly in a nearby temple or any other public place. The girl is dressed in fine traditional wear, mostly a saree with beautiful jewellery. This is also a custom to show the prosperity of the bride's family. Once the meeting goes well and the couple likes each other, the relatives start discussions on the further proceedings.
\n\nAll the rituals are followed strictly so that the couple will have a blessed and prosperous life ahead. The Nadar community gives their support and showers lots of love onto the new couple.
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If you have attended a Tamil Nadar matrimony function, you would have seen how devoted they are to keeping and following traditional customs. The weddings will be full of fun and laughter while being within the limits of age-old traditions and rich cultural heritage. Religious rituals are followed strictly as the Tamil Nadar community believes in receiving blessings from the Almighty before every ceremony.
\n\nWhat Happens During Swami Kumbiduthal Ritual in Tamil Nadar Weddings
\nThe Swami Kumbiduthal or Pooja ceremony that takes place on the day before the wedding, is a very important function. It takes place in both the bride's as well as the groom's house. The family deity is worshipped with pride and devotion. The belief is that a family can prosper only if the family deity is happy and is not ignored. So this function is considered to be extremely sacred.
The deity statue or photo is placed in a room and the entire family gathers here. A wooden stool is placed in front of the photos. A variety of offerings are placed on this stool. There are several auspicious items like banana leaves, coconut, fruits, flowers, kumkum (vermilion), sandal paste, kuthu vilaku (lamp), vibhuti (sacred ash), etc. Food offerings are also placed to make the deity happy. Various dishes like Sweet Pongal, Rava Panniyaram, are prepared and arranged beautifully. Once the puja is over, vibhuti is applied to all the family members and they share the prasadham amongst themselves. The bride is given a metti (toe ring) to wear on the middle toe on both her legs. This is a symbol of fertility and is believed to regulate her menstrual cycles by making the uterus healthy.
\n\nTamil Nadars devote their time and energy to religious practices. It is this quality and discipline that has made them have a strong bond with god and every other member of the family.
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The engagement ceremony is called Nichayathartham or Poo Vaithal. The Nadar engagement ritual is the first pre-marriage event conducted and holds a lot of significance. It is conducted after the families have met and the prospective bride and groom meet to confirm that they like each other. This ceremony acts as a confirmation of the marriage and the marriage date is agreed upon during this ceremony.
\n\nWhat Happens During the Nichayathartham in Tamil Nadar Weddings
\nMaternal uncles of both bride and groom play an important role in Tamil Hindu weddings and the same is true in the Nadar community too. The marriage is confirmed by agreeing upon the venue and date. After confirmation, the uncles exchange garlands and apply sandal paste on their forehead and forearms. Both families also bring salt and turmeric which is exchanged by the uncles.
The bride is then presented with a Nichayadartha Pattu which is silk saree from the groom's side. Groom's sister brings the saree and helps the bride to drape the saree. She then places flowers on the bride's hair and garlands her. The elders of the family also bless the bride.
\n\nThe Poo Vaithal or placing flowers on the bride's head is an important event in this ritual, it is significant as it shows that the mother-in-law has accepted her as a bride and a new member of her family. It also gives a chance to the bride to express her approval or disapproval of this union. If the bride allows the groom's mother to keep strands of flowers on her hair it shows that she accepts this wedding.
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The Nadars spend a major portion of their savings on their childrens’ marriage. Many families conduct lavish weddings with the main ritual being the Thalikettu. Thalikettu means tying the Thali and is the central event in a Nadar wedding where the groom ties the holy thread called the Thaali around the bride’s neck.
\n\nBefore the thread is tied, it is placed on a plate and passed around to the elders present in the wedding hall to seek blessings for the couple. The Nadar Thali design is based on the groom's family customs and traditions. The Thali (Mangalsutra) is usually prepared by a goldsmith appointed by the groom's side after conducting the auspicious gold melting ritual in their house. Check the Nadar matrimonial sites and jewellery blogs on Kalyan Shastra to learn about the Nadar Thali designs.
\n\nProcedure for Thalikettu Ritual In Tamil Nadar Weddings
\n\nThis marks the end of the major wedding festivities. After the completion of all the wedding rituals, a grand vegetarian feast is arranged by the bride’s parents.
\n\nNote: Though the Thali tying is the traditional wedding ritual, nowadays some members of the Nadar community have the entire Thali chain in gold instead of the thread. This thali chain along with the mangalsutra is garlanded around the neck of the bride by the bridegroom.
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\n\nWhat is Sitharu Thengai Poduthal Ritual in Tamil Nadar Weddings?
\nThe post-wedding rituals in a Tamil Nadar wedding are as important as the actual ceremony. When the new couple enters the groom's town, which is celebrated as Pattana pravesam, there is a ritual of breaking coconuts in the wayside temples. This is for gaining the blessings of God upon arrival in the town. Along with this, another function is also carried out. This is known as the Sitharu Thengai Poduthal. Sitharu means dispersal on breaking, Thengai means coconut and Poduthal means dropping it. Here the coconut offered during the Pattana pravesam is broken into smaller pieces.
Significance of Breaking the Coconut
\nCoconut is always considered an auspicious fruit in all traditional Hindu weddings. The belief behind this ritual is that when the couple breaks the coconut in front of God into small pieces, all bad luck, evil eyes and negative vibes are dismissed. The new couple is blessed with positivity and good luck. Such belief systems are still considered to be holy and are carried out meticulously.
The new generation in the Nadar community are particular about respecting their elders and carry out all the rituals with extreme care. They participate wholeheartedly in all the functions and seek the blessings of both the family members. It is indeed delightful to observe such a deep understanding and commitment among the family members of the Tamil Nadar community.
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