The Evening Before The Wedding
The evening before the wedding day, the bridegroom is brought in a procession from a temple, sitting in a flower-decorated vehicle. He is then escorted by the bride's parents and welcomed at the marriage mandap. This is known as the social function called 'Janna Vasam' in south India. After reaching the marriage hall, there is a formal bethoral ceremony suggestive of the agreement between the families for the proposed alliance.
The Day Of The Wedding
Ganapathi Puja is done to ensure the remover of obstacles is invoked to waive away all impediments for such a favorable function. Navagraha puja is performed to encourage and plead the nine astral planets that rule over man's destinies. The bride and the groom separately perform Vratham ritual. For the bride, it means the tying of the kappu - the holy thread on her wrists, which is meant to ward off all evil sprits and it symbolizes a kind of protective shield for the bride. For the groom vratham begins with invocations to the Gods Indra, Soma, Chandra and Agni.
Malai Mathal is the ritual where, the bride and groom are lifted to the shoulders of their respective maternal uncles. This ritual signifies the continual sibling support to their mothers. And in that position the couple garland each other thrice for a complete union. In the shastras, the exchange of garlands signifies their unification, as one soul in two bodies. In Oonchal, couple is seated on a swing and rocked forth and back, as the gathered women sing songs to praise the couple. The bride and groom are given a sweet mixture of milk, sugar and bananas to eat. Water and lighted lamps are kept around the swing in order to guard the couple against demons and ghosts.
Pallikai Seeds Sowing is a fertility rite. Pallikais are earthern pots made a day earlier. Pots spread at the base with hariali grass and Bael leaves (vilvam). Nine kinds of presoaked cereals are royally sown in these pots by sumangalis. After the marriage, the sprouted seedlings are unconfined in a river or pool. This ritual signifies the blessing of the eight direction quartered guardian angels (Ashtadikh Paalaks) for a healthy life and children of the couple.
The Main Wedding
Vara Puja is performed when the feet of the bridegroom are washed in milk and wiped off with silk by the bride's father. The groom is represented as the male principle of Godhead or the brahmachari. The Design of the Mangal Sutra varies from family to family according to the tradition. In Shivite families the design of the tulasi madam is decorated where as others could have the shiva lingam or Goddess Meenakshi represented. As the Mangalsutra is placed on the middle of the bride's chest, it symbolizes that her man has occupied the whole of her being through her heart. The bride in all ceremonies is represented as the female principle of Godhead or the Shakti.
Kanya Danam is the ritual where the bride is made to sit on her father's lap and is given away as a gift by him to the bridegroom. A ring made of Darbha of Kusa grass is placed on her head. They hold the Mangalsutra and chant the mantra meaning - "Let this gold multiply your wealth, Let this water purify your married life, And may your prosperity increase. Offer yourself to your husband."
The bride is then given a propitious ablution. A new sari, exclusive for the occasion, called the red koorai is chosen. She drapes around the sari by the sister of the bridegroom, thus signifying her welcome to the bride. A belt made of reed grass is then tied around the bride's waist. Thanksgiving vedic hymns are said to the celestial caretakers of her childhood, the deities of Soma, Gandharva and Agni. Having attained nobility, the girl is now free to be given over to her man.
The vedic concept underlying this ritual is metaphorically that in her childhood Soma givers her the coolness of the moon. In the next stage of life the Gandharvas gave her playfulness and beauty. And when she becomes a maiden Agni gave her passions of life. After the father chants some prayers, the bridegroom returns his assurance to