Tamil Iyengar Brahmin weddings are considered to be a serious affair with chanting of mantras and a list of rituals. However, there are some fun aspects too in traditional brahmin weddings, and one of them is called Vilayadal which means games. These wedding games are played for various reasons mainly to break the ice between the bride and the groom, as earlier most of the marriages were arranged and couples would hardly have met each other. This ritual is also a great way to know both sides of the relatives better.
Gifting
In this Vilayadal, the ladies from the groom's side bring trays (vilayadal thattu for marriage) full of daily need items for the bride like hair oil, comb, and cosmetics, etc along with a traditional wooden doll called 'Marappaachi Bommai' (translates as ‘wooden doll’) carved out of neem and country wood for the bride to play and later to be played by the couple’s children. These dolls are also called Raja Rani dolls and are gifted only as a pair - a male and a female.
Thengai Urutal-A Vilayadal (Game) in Tamil Brahmin Iyengar Weddings
In this, the bride and the groom sit on the floor at a distance facing each other. Both of them are given a turmeric coated coconut. They are asked to roll it thrice to each other simultaneously, while the ladies from both sides sing Iyengar wedding songs and get familiar with each other. The songs and banter add to the joyous wedding moments while the couple learns about understanding and communication and also gets familiar with the relatives of each side.
These games are also an indication that whatever good or bad happens in the life of the couple, the close relatives will always be around!