Thanks to the multicultural Indian society, you might find yourself at a wedding this season that celebrates in ways you are not familiar with. And if that is a Tamil wedding, you have more than one reason to rejoice. After all, a Tamil wedding is a royal affair replete with Vedic traditions and customs and the brightest shades of red and golden.
The community is known for its belief in simple living and high thinking, and this factor is beautifully reflected in the wedding rituals. It is also an out-and-out family event where the extended families of both sides are involved in every ritual and each minute detail.
Reading until here must have already intrigued you about Tamil weddings. So, read on, and surely you will get even more excited to attend a Tamil wedding.
The Ageless Vedic Traditions and Customs
As mentioned before, Tamil weddings are big on traditions and customs that have been passed down since the Vedic era. Thus, they are nothing short of an experience of the ageless Indian culture for the guests attending the ceremony. There is Kala Patrika, which is about matching the horoscopes and deciding the wedding date after finding a suitable match from the Tamil Wedding app. And finally, there is Kalyanam which is the actual ritual on the wedding day. All in all, an endless array of opulent rituals are there to showcase varied symbolic facets of the Indian culture.
If you think that Tamil weddings aren’t as extravagant as North Indian weddings, you need to look at things from a different perspective. What makes Tamil weddings incomparable are the spiritual rites, folklore-based norms, and Vedic rituals, and all these facets make Tamil weddings beautiful in their own accord. The wedding rituals are inspired by some of the oldest sacred rites written in the Vedas, the ancient text of Hinduism.
A Riot of Colours All Around You
Tamil weddings are one of the most colourful celebrations ever, and the lavish hues will be a delight to your eyes. In a usual Tamil marriage setting, you will find a flow of sunshine yellow and bright red, along with pretty saffron and vivid vermilion strewn all over the place. These colours are also traditional symbols of passion, spirituality, and purity.
That’s not all! The shining gold jewellery and the intricate Kanjeevaram sari of the bride will add more colours to the scene. You can also expect the guest to be draped in vibrant and rich silk saris. The people, the décor, the food, and the rituals all come in a bright array of colours that represent the spirit and fervour of this ancient land of the country.
The Typical Guest List of Hundreds
In Tamil weddings, the guest list usually spills over to more than two to three hundred guests. After all, one has to keep friends, acquaintances, distant relatives, and extended family on the list.
The ridiculously large wedding gathering is fun to be a part of as the guests are not only colourful and lavishly dressed but also pleasantly noisy. If you have never been to a Tamil wedding, it will be quite a unique experience for you to see such a major gathering of happy people who have come to attend the beautiful ceremony and heartily bless the bride and groom.
The Pleasant Cacophony of Happy Hearts
Only in a traditional Tamil wedding a cacophony can’t sound harsh but rather feel melodious. Apart from the guests chatting away in the native tongue, the wedding scene is replete with several ingenious sounds like the traditional songs, the Vedic chants, and the South Indian flute.
It is a stunning mix of sights and sounds that will make you happily dizzy. Let yourself get drowned in this bustling, unique, and fun shower of sounds and shades, and you will remember this occasion forever.
The Sun-Kissed Setting of A Tamil Wedding
When you walk into the settings of Tamil wedding ceremonies, you would almost feel like you are walking into some kind of a royal affair that is filled with magical moments. For starters, Tamil weddings take place early in the morning. If you have never attended an actual Tamil Kalyanam, you are missing the opportunity of experiencing a wonderful sun-kissed traditional wedding ceremony.
An actual temple courtyard becomes the wedding venue. Auspicious torans, flowers, and festoons lavishly adorn the temple courtyard for the wedding day. The bride’s family hosts the wedding and has the responsibility to decorate the ceremonial wedding canopy called the ‘manavarai.’ The manavarai has colourful rangoli designs, earthen pots (mangalKalash), festoons, flowers, flowery décor, and bright hues.
Think of walking into such a vivid setting in the golden rays of the rising sun. The whole atmosphere would feel like a mystical and magical hour celebrating the love and union of two souls.
The Symbolism Of Different Wedding Rituals
The extensive ceremonies start way before the main event with Kala Pathrika rites and Sumangali (worshipping married women). Every rite is a unique experience that you would love to become a part of.
Consider the colourful and lavish PallikaiThellichal ceremony where multiple types of grains mixed with curd gets poured in seven earthen pots and drenched with sandalwood. The immersion of the pots in the water to feed the fishes is a symbol of auspiciousness.
Another beautiful ceremony found in a Tamil wedding is Sumangali Prarthanai. Sumangalis are married women who live a harmonious and prosperous life. They are worshipped and prayed to by the would-be bride, who seeks their blessings to live a harmonious and successful conjugal life. This particular ceremony looks as colourful and dazzling as every Sumangali who wears the traditional nine yards of Madisar saree in vivid shades.
Endnote
And now you have a clear idea about what makes Tamil weddings a must-attend event for you. Attending the ceremonies of Tamil Matrimony is an experience in itself. Thus, the next time you get a chance to attend such a wedding, make sure you don’t miss it. And to know more about the service, you can download the Tamil Matrimony App from play store.