Ravi & Usha

A Profile of their Hindu Wedding

June 22, 1996

(Contributed exclusively to manaali.com by Nalini & Sureshan)

From Nalini & Sureshan

This profile gives a fine insight of the events, rituals and interpretations of a Tamil-Hindu wedding ceremony that culminates the courtship of a couple interested to be unified as husband and wife in the Tamil-Hindu tradition.

 The major thought process (if not all) in documenting this marriage practice evolved over the long years of vedic-dravidian civilisation and commonly practiced by the Sri Lankan Tamil-Hindu people, wherever they live, is tat of Mr. S. Nambyarooran (Arooran) now domiciled in Canada. 

The urge to think and document this profile comes from the paternal love towards his daughter Usha on the occasion of her marriage to her beloved friend Ravi. Mr. Arooran thought it was fit that this profile must be in the hands of the many non-tamil-hindu invitees at the wedding of his daughter so that their blessings to the couple would be meaningful.

 For many Tamil-Hindu people, both who have been married under these traditions and those yearning to be wedded under these traditions, this profile is a potent capsule of knowledge capable of nourishing their cultural heritage.

 Mr. S. Nabyarooran, an alumnus of the Culcutta University, India, chose the prefession of teaching English and Geography and was well read in Hindu Vedanta and Sidhantha philisophy.

 His teaching career saw him in many leading colleges in Kandy and Jaffna before he  took up his first assignment in Zambia and later in Transki, South Africa. On completion of his stint of training teachers in South Africa, he migrated to Canada and is involved in corporate training in communications.

 It is with pleasure that we contribute this profile to manaali.com, to be used as a resource to propagate the Tamil-Hindu wedding practices that form an integral part of the social milieu of the great Sri Lankan society. 

Nalini & Sureshan

15, Fareed Place

Colombo 04,

Sri Lanka

The Hindu Wedding Significance

The Hindu marriage symbolizes the physical and especially the spiritual union of man and woman. The rituals of the Hindu marriage ceremony, highlight the interdependence and the complementary nature of man and wife relationship. The maathorupahan or Arthanareeswarar, the half male half female representation of Shiva and Shakthi, in Hindu cosmogony emphasizes this ideal of man and wife relationship in such union. 

Venerated even as Shiva and Shakthi, the bride and groom sit elevated in a space the priest sanctifies for divine intervention in the solemnization. The priest and guests traditionally sit on the floor as equals with the idols of divinity. As tradition would have it, all events related to the wedding are usually on a day and at a time rendered auspicious by planetary positions.

Nitchaya Thampoolam - Hindu Engagement 

Though Hindu marriages are traditionally arranged, marriage by consent, the bride and groom choosing one another, is also a trend. Nitchaya thampoolam which follows the choice is the Hindu engagement. Thampoolam or Vetrilai (betel leaf) and its complement Paakku (betel nut) are ceremoniously exchanged with other gifts at the bride's residence announcing the betrothal.

Ponn Urukku - Gold Melting Ceremony 

A significant occasion a few weeks beofre the wedding is the Ponn Urukku ceremony attended by parents and the elders at which the groom presents a gold coin to the family goldsmith for its ritual meltdown to fashion the Thaali - the bridal pendant. 

"One without a second, who is All that is, And beyond all that is" - Upanishads.

Maapillai Alaippu- Conducting Groom to the Hall

At the appointed time on the wedding day, the Tholan the best man), the bride's brother, with a following of relatives made up of wedded pairs, sets off for the groom's house. There, he places the thalaipa (turban) on the groom's head and escorts him to the wedding hall accompanied by the groom's family, relatives and friends.

Maapillai Varavetpu - Welcoming the Groom 

The wedding commences with the arrival of the groom and his retinue at the wedding hall. the Tholi (the bride's maid), the groom's married sister, bears the Koorai (the bridal saree) and the Thaali. at the entrance to the wedding hall, which represents the bride's residence, her parents welcome the groom with the flower garland. 

The Tholan wets the groom's feet with the Chempu (a bronze vessel) of water, a gesture lavished on an honoured guest, and he in in return rewarded with a gold ring for his good grace. Two ladies representing the bide and the groom perform Aarathi to ward off the evil eye with banana-wick lamps on a tray. Thereafter, to the accompaniment of Nathswaram ( a wind instrument) and Thavil ( a percussion instrument) the Tholan and the bride's parents lead the groom to the Manavarai, the flower festooned nuptial seat, where the priest awaits  to perform the ceremony.

Arathanareeswarar (A half male half female image of God) 

The Allusion - Hindu Mythology Bhringi the grand old sage once sped 

To Mount Kailash for Shiva's grace.Tread three circles round the Lord;Be blessed for this, his divotee mode. 

Ushered before his benign calm Bhringi paused for there he found Shiva with Shakthi wrapped in arm, Worship woman, was he bound! 

Bhringi would turn a tiny bee To fly a course between the waists, Only the Lord to circle, d'you seel, Canny glee Shiva spied in sages's eyes. 

Shiva smiled, edged, and snuggled She,Lo they fused! Sheiva half, Shakthi half,Late it dawned to humble sage He and she make one eternal. 

(Bringa is a Sanskrit for Bee. The sage came to be called Bhringi because he once became a bee.)