Brahmin weddings are fun! They embody colours, music, dance, rituals happiness and what not.
We have known the Easwar family for long and a marriage in that family was a time of joy for us too. Ganesh and Sowmya are siblings and their marriages were held within a gap of 3 months.
Traditional Tamil Brahmin weddings last for a week with all the rituals. But, nowadays, people tend to shorten it to two days according to their convenience. But Sowmya’s father was very particular about it and he wanted his daughter’s marriage to be held in the traditional way. Thus the wedding lasted a week and that was indeed a carnival.
Though the pooja and other rituals started a week before, the celebrations started two days before the wedding- the Eve of Mehendi. Sowmya’s hands and toes were clad with Mehendi designs and she looked awesome in it. All the invitees took part in the Mehendi ceremony and got themselves decorated with Mehendi.
The main celebrations started next day with Kappukettu. Yogesh the bride groom was made to reach the wedding venue, Trivandrum Club with all grandeur. Ganesh, Sowmya’s brother welcomed him and accompanied him for the pooja. Sowmya, dressed up in traditional Tamil attire was brought for pooja. Both the families sat in front of the yagaagni for Kappu kettu. This was followed by a sumptuous lunch.
The reception at the evening was treat to the eyes. The venue was decorated with flowers and the walkway had stalls with gifts for the invitees. The ambience was so much filled with music, dance and colours that it was not less than any grand mela.
The wedding ceremony started early morning with kashi yathra. The idea behind this ritual is that the boy is starting for kashi after he completes his studies and Brahmacharya. The girl’s father stops him on the way and tells him the importance of wedded life and offers his daughter as the boy’s life partner. Thus the groom is called back and the girl and boy exchanges garlands. The women in the family puts them in an unjal, sings and dances around them.
Sowmya and Yogesh were then brought back for pooja. They were given the traditional dresses to wear for the wedding ceremony. Sowmya wore the traditional 16 yards red saree and Yogesh, the dhoti.
In front of a thousand invitees, Yogesh tied the knot for lifetime on Sowmya. They performed the rituals around grinding stone and Agni.
After Griha Pravesh, it was the time for fun for the bride and groom, called Nalungu. From rolling coconut to adorning each other with haldi and sindoor, the good times goes on. They fed each other sweet pudding and thus ends the ceremony.
