July 4th Traditional Wedding Ceremony (Kalyanam)
Note: We will update this over time
Wedding Day Morning
- Kashi Yatra: Symbolic “play” where the groom pretends to leave for Kashi to become a monk, and the bride’s father convinces the groom to stay and instead marry the bride
- Maalai Matral: The bride and groom exchange garlands
- Oonjal: The bride and groom sit on a swing and are blessed by the older women in their families. The bride and the groom are given a mixture of bananas and milk to eat which is considered to bless the couple with a happy and comfortable married life.
Main Ceremony
- Madhurparkam: Welcome ceremony for the groom
- Kanya Daanam: Giving away of the bride by her parents. During Kanyaadanam, the father of the bride holds the bride’s hand and places it on the groom’s hand symbolizing that he trusts the groom to love and take care of the bride for life. Vedic mantras are recited as the bride and the groom’s hands are tied together with a sacred thread, sealing their blessed union.
- Mangalya Dharanam: Tying of the sacred necklace, called a mangalsutra, around the neck of the bride.
- Saptapadi: Seven steps around the sacred fire
- Pradhana Homam: Main fire ritual
- Showing The Arundhati Star: In this unique Tamil Brahmin wedding ritual, the groom points towards the Saptarishi constellation, showing the bride the Arundhati and the Vashishtha stars. There is a folklore that says that Arundhati and Vashishtha are a loving and devoted married couple and during this ritual, the priest tells the bride and groom to always love and support each other.
Post-Wedding Rituals
- Dampathi Prarthana: Blessings for the newlyweds
- Nalangu: Fun post-wedding games and activities where the couple compete playfully, including searching for rings in a pot of milk and breaking papads on each other's heads
Important Notes
- The ceremony is conducted in Sanskrit with Vedic mantras
- The bride will at one point change from a 6 yards saree to a 9 yards saree - the traditional garb of a married woman
- Ceremonies are typically performed during muhurtham (auspicious time)
Duration
The main ceremony typically takes 2-3 hours.