Post-wedding rituals are all fun and games in most cases. There are such events in every Vanniya Kula Chatriyan wedding. Out of them, one that stands out Uniquely is the Mock Ploughing ceremony.
What is Mock Ploughing Ceremony in Tamil Vanniyar Kula Kshatriyar Weddings?
The Mock ploughing ceremony is quite an interesting post-wedding ritual in Vanniar Tamil kalyanam rituals. Here a mock play is set up to honour the ancestors who were farmers. It is also meant to bring prosperity to the new couple and bless them with a happy, fruitful life. The mock ploughing ceremony is enjoyed by all those present and is the perfect event to have lots of fun.
The venue needs to be near a Tank where a small patch of ground is already ploughed and turned up. The young couple approach this area in the pretence of going to work in the fields. The groom will have a ploughshare in his hands. The bride will play the role of an obedient wife carrying a small pot of Rice gruel for her husband. She shows the care and devotion a wife has towards her husband, who is working hard to feed the family. The bridegroom plants some grain seedlings in the turned-up patch and then they offer betel leaves to a Small Pillayar (Ganesha) statue made of Mud. The Lord will be placed near the ploughed field.
After the make-believe hard work, the groom then acts as if he is exhausted and feigns fatigue. The bride gives him some rice to replenish his energy. His brother-in-law will playfully try to stop him from having his food. It is up to the groom to resist and continue to have his food. All these customs denote the beginning of a mature family life while upholding family values. Normally the couple spends a week at the bride's house and then proceeds to the Groom's residence for further events.