Oonjal Ritual In Tamil Brahmin Iyer Weddings

Oonjal or Unjal in English means a swing which is an interesting ritual in a Tamil Brahmin Iyer wedding. This ritual takes place after the malai matrudal. A traditional swing is decorated with beautiful flowers and ornaments for the bride and groom to be seated. 

What Happens during the Oonjal Ritual in Tamil Brahmin Iyer weddings?

• In this ceremony, the bride and groom sit on a swing
• The swing is rocked to and fro gently by married women from both groom and bride's side
• The married women from both the bride and the groom's family wash the couple's feet with milk
• Then they make colored rice balls, circle them in front of the couple and throw them in all four directions. This is believed to be done to ward off the evil spirits.
• The bride and groom are then offered bananas dipped in milk which is basically given to reduce the tension of marriage and to make each other comfortable.
• Elder women of the family sing oonjal songs and swing the Onjal taking turns. The kalyana mandapam turns into a fun and merry place as they sing Laali songs. 
• The swing is rocked three times to remind the couple to stay together as life will have its share of ups and downs
• The groom then takes the hand of the bride and leads her to the next ritual which is the Kanya Dhanam.

The swing exemplifies the strength that the couple has to find in each other during rocky times and thus oonjal is a significant ceremony that teaches the couple that they have to stay strong and with each other in all the highs and lows of life, sharing all happy and sad moments together.