One of the fun-filled rituals organized by the groom’s family is the thengai uruttal ritual. In this, the bride and groom will be sitting facing each other.
Procedure for Thengai Uruttal Ritual in Tamil Brahmin Iyer Weddings
- Coconuts covered in turmeric will be given to each of them and they are supposed to roll it to each other.
- While performing this, the family and friends will sing iyer wedding songs to pull the bride and groom’s leg.
- The coconut should be rolled three times and if it breaks in between, it symbolizes successful marriage. By doing this ritual, the bride and groom will get to know each other well.
- While the coconut uruttal is going on between the bride and groom someone among the gathered relatives will make a countdown of 3 and the coconut along with the betel will have to caught quickly by the bride or groom. The bride can use both hands while the groom can use only one hand to catch it. The person who catches the betel and the coconut is believed to have an upper hand in marriage.
After this game, the bride will serve fruits on a tray to the groom and also give him Thamboolam singing a song. The groom must also sing a song and return the tray. Once the games are over, the ladies make ‘Pachai Valipathu’ which is a mixture of Kumkumam and gingelly oil placed in a Kinnam (small bowl). You can check for vilayadal thattu for marriage, online also. This paste is applied for the couple on the back, shoulders, neck, and chin as dhristy kalipathu. This is repeated by mother, sister, maami, anni, and athai of both sides and has to be odd-number of people. Post this an arathi will be performed for the couple to end the ritual.