Tamil Nadar weddings include many ceremonies and rituals that are being followed for generations. Family values and traditional culture are given great importance in all the wedding rituals. Tamil Nadar community is well known for a rich cultural background and they are proud of their family heritage. They place great value on family bonds and make sure that the entire family is united strongly.
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.
Weddings are happy occasions where two families unite in celebration. They come together to bless a new couple who is all set to bring more joy to the world. The traditions and values followed during each ritual have a lot of meaning and significance in the new couple's upcoming journey. The Tamil Nadar community takes each one of these rituals seriously and engages in them wholeheartedly.
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.
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.
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.
Mappillai Azahaippu is a ritual conducted in weddings to welcome the Nadar grooms.
The Tamil Nadar Kalyanam or wedding represents the culture of the community. They seek the blessings of God, their ancestors and elders of the family during the wedding rituals. Family bonds are considered to be special and care is taken to maintain happy relations.
Kashi Yatra ritual is a traditional event where the groom pretends to leave for Kashi to gain more knowledge and become a saint instead of entering the Grihastha Ashrama (married life) but is lured back by the bride's family to get married. It is a fun custom which starts when the groom’s party arrives at the wedding venue or on the wedding day. The groom pretends to leave for Kashi to become a scholar. At that time the bride’s father stops him and offers the groom his daughter.
This is the sole wedding ritual that is done only by the bride on her wedding day. After taking the purifying bath also known as the Mangala Snaanam the bride will offer her prayers to Goddess Gauri. Since goddess Gauri is the mother of the whole world, the bride offers her prayers to the Goddess and asks her to give the same strength, a peaceful, prosperous, and a healthy married life.
Significance of Gauri Pooja in Tamil Brahmin Iyer Weddings
There are many tales as to why a bride performs Gauri Puja but notable among them are two.
