Mudaliar community is one of the prominent communities in Tamil Nadu, India. The Mudaliars are relatively educated and socially well-aware and known for the flair for fine arts. Mudaliar community lives not only in Tamil Nadu but also all over the world. Mudaliar marriages follow the similar pattern of other South Indian weddings.This article captures the rituals commonly followed among the different Mudaliar communities in the recent days.
Marriages are mostly arranged by the parents in the Mudaliar community. As the internet started penetrating very fast, the online matrimonial sites and marriage bureaus are also used by the parents to search for the petential matches.
Once a suitable match is found, the families arrange for an engagement ceremony called ‘Nichayadaartham’. During this engagement ceremony, groom’s family provides gifts such as saree, jewels and plates of betel leaves, coconut, turmeric, fruits, flowers, sweets etc. to the bride. Bride’s family also provides gifts to Groom.This exchanging of gifts is known as ‘Thambulam Mattrazh or Nichayadaartham’. An important element of this event is fixing the date for wedding ceremony.
Wedding rituals in Mudaliyar communities begins with Ganesha Pooja. Erection of the marriage pandal is known as ‘Pandakaal’ infront of their respective homes. During this ceremony, nine married women decorate the bamboo pillars with turmeric and kumkum dots in odd numbers.
Though ‘Nalangu’ is performed both for bride and groom, the Nalangu for bride is given more attention. The bride is seated on a wooden plank placed on a banana leafs filled with uncooked rice grains. Sandalwood paste, kumkum and rose water are placed on a stool beside the bride, along with betel leaf, betel nut ,flowers and arathi. Married women from the bride and groom's family apply sandalwood paste on the hands of bride, bless her with kumkum and arathy.
Receiving the groom ‘Maapillai Azhaippu’ is the next ritual,where the bride’s brother or uncle goes to the groom’s house to invite the groom to marry the bride. Then groom is taken to wedding hall ,there ladies from the bride's family welcome the bridegroom with the arathi.
On the morning of the wedding 'Pandal' is erected and decorated with banana tree stalks, tender coconuts, mango leaves and flowers. In olden days, the kings were invited for the wedding. Nowadays as a mark of respect and as a measure of raising the standard , a bamboo is erected on the marriage altar signifying the presence of the King. It is called ‘Arasan kal’.
When the bride and groom are getting dressed, the groom's side will cook rice in a clay pot called ‘Manai Pongal’. When the bride and groom enter the marriage venue ‘Pandal’, the married women will welcome them with garlands. The couple will offer prayers to all the deities before entering the 'Pandal'.
The priest will lit the Homam the sacred fire to act as a witness to the marriage of this new couple. The priests are still an integral part of the modern marriages, even though number of other rituals has undergone changes. Priest conducts the Ganapati Homam invoking the blessings of Lord Ganesha for the couple. Handing over the bride to the bride is the core of the wedding which is called ‘Kannikadanam’.
Padha Pooja is washing the feet of the parents. This is performed to get their blessings and to show the gratitude to them. Kashi Yatra is an event where the groom will go get ready for a pilgrimage but he will be stopped by the bride's brother and he will request the groom to marry the bride. The Groom will accept it and return home. The bride perform puja to Goddess Lakshmi ‘Mahalakshmi Puja’ and then does 'padapuja' for her parents and seeks their blessings.
Mangalyam Kattal is the climax of the wedding ceremony. The groom will tie the 'mangalyam' thread with three knots to the bride. This is done with the ‘Nadhaswaram' playing in the background, and the couple is blessed with the showering of rice dipped in turmeric, and flowers by all present at the ceremony. After this the couple goes around the fire 3 times and will offer puffed rice to the sacred fire. Arundhati paarthal is performed after this ritual.
The couple go around the arasanaikal 3 times, who are accompanied by the unmarried girls from the bride's and groom's family.
‘Sammanthi Mariyathai’ is to provide a chance for the bride and grooms family to interact with each other. It is celebrated through sharing of clothes and gifts.
This brings an end to the marriage events. In the recent days ‘Reception’ is arranged to receive the blessings of the friends and relatives who could not take part in the core events of the wedding. Reception will be arranged either on the same day or some other convenient day.
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