Oonjal is one ceremony that is a delight for everyone who is involved in the wedding. The oonjal/unjal (swing in English) ceremony generally takes place right after the exchange of garlands once the groom returns after Kasi Yatra.
Poo Maalai translates into flower garland in Tamil and Maatrudhal means exchange. Exchange of garlands or maalai maattrudhal is one of the rituals associated with a Tamil Brahmin Iyengar wedding. It happens before the wedding and after the 'Mapillai Azahaipu".
Every ritual during the marriage has its meaning and signifies ideal values to be followed in order to lead a happy married life. The age-old traditions and diverse rituals during an Iyengar marriage have their unique meaning attached to it. A ritual that takes place during an Iyengar marriage is the Pada Puja done by the bride's father for the bridegroom. Many would think as to why an older adult is doing Pada puja to the groom who is much younger than him, but there is a significance to this unique ritual as well.
Kashi Yatra rituals are comical and interesting where the groom gets a chance to escape matrimony by deciding to walk out of the marriage and take up sanyasa (sanyasa is a stage where an individual lets go of everything in the material life and accepts spiritual path to be his way of life).
Gowri Pooja also spelled as Gauri Pooja is a very common wedding ritual carried out by the bride as she prays before the Goddess for an auspicious start to a happy married life! Gowri Pooja or Gowri Vratham procedure in Tamil Iyengar wedding rituals is quite simple yet very powerful.
Literally translated as ‘auspicious/purifying bath', the ‘Mangala snaanam' ritual is conducted during the wee hours of the wedding day for both the bride and the groom in their respective homes/rooms. Manjal (turmeric), kumkum (vermilion), and sandalwood paste are applied to the bride by her sumangali (married woman whose husband is alive) relatives. After this application, the bride is made to take a bath in holy water and get ready for the wedding rituals. A similar ritual is carried out for the bridegroom by sumangalis.
Viratham in Tamil Hindu Brahmin Iyer weddings is a ritual that is performed separately by the bride and groom as part of the pre-wedding celebrations. By performing this ritual both bride and groom seek permission to start their married life. The viratham(fasting) is observed to get the blessings of the elders who have departed to the nether world. The main wedding starts only after this ritual is conducted and this is a more elaborate function for the groom than for the bride.
In South Indian Tamil Brahmin Iyer weddings, matching of horoscopes is a must. Once the horoscopes match and the families agree for marriage, the Nichayathartham takes place. The term Nichayathartham means engagement. Tamil Brahmin Iyer Nichayathartham will be held on an auspicious day. It is an event where the boy and girl families meet and choose a Muhurtham (auspicious date and time for marriage) based on the horoscopes of the bride-to-be and groom-to-be. It also kicks off the wedding preparations.
The Nichayathartham Ritual
Nandi Shrardham is one of the major pre-wedding ceremonies in Tamil Brahmin Iyer wedding rituals where prayers are offered to Naandi Devtas.
The Significance
The Naandi devatas are the holy Pitrus or ancestors who are offered prayers. They play a vital role by blessing the two families with good health. Since marriage is the beginning of a new life and family, it is important to seek their blessings.
The term ‘Lagna Pathirikai' translates to a wedding invitation in Tamil. The priest officially announces the wedding date to all the guests who are present for the nichayathartham. One can either do the lagna patrika matching online or it is handwritten by the priest after looking through the horoscopes of the bride and groom and finalising the right time for their wedding. The pathirikai carries the name of all the family members of the bride and groom in addition to a mention of the auspicious time and date for the wedding.
