The Hindu Kalyanam
The Hindu Kalyanam ("Kalyanam" in South Indian Tamil means Wedding/Marriage) is based on thousands of years of faith and practices, laden with symbolic significance and spiritual meaning and rich in wedding traditions.
The rituals and traditions are about two families coming together to celebrate the wedding .
The Manavarai
the ceremonial stage
The wedding ceremony will be conducted on the ceremonial stage.
The Hindu Priest will conduct the ceremony . The Priest offers prayers . The sacred fire in the center of the Manavarai serves as Agni Saatchi ( holy witness). Agni is the God of Fire , the symbol of light, power and purity .
The Arrival of the Groom
The Arrival of the Bride
followed by
The Groom leads the entourage of his family to the ceremonial stage.
The Groom will be seated in front of the sacred fire. The Groom's parents will be seated next to him.
The Bride leads the entourage of her family to the ceremonial stage.
The Bride's parents will be seated next to her. The priest repeats the prayers with the Bride.
The Priest will perform prayers to remove all hurdles and to promote harmony during the wedding ceremony.
The couple represents Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi during this ceremony, reflecting the heavenly connections between the Gods.
Lord Shiva is part of the Tirumurthi or the "Holy Trinity" who creates, protects and transforms the Universe.
Goddess Parvathi , his consort is known for her grace, power and beauty . She is the embodiment of Shakti , the divine feminine energy that gives birth and sustains the universe. the mother of all life existing in the cosmos.
Their eternal connection as Shiva Shakti represents cosmic harmony and interplay of complementary forces.
Washing the feet of the Parents
The Bride and Groom seek blessings by washing and prostrating at the feet of their respective parents.
In the presence of the Groom's family, the Bride's parents give her hand in marriage to the Groom.
Kanya Thaanam - Giving away of the Bride
Thali Ceremony
A Thali or Thirumangalyam is a spiritual ornament for marriage that marks love, respect and dignity. It is a sacred gold pendant presented to the Bride by the Groom during an auspicious time on their wedding day. In Tamil wedding- the Thali is strung on a turmeric dyed thread ( the "manjal kairu") which is blessed with prayers , Parents and the Elders.
First, the Bride puts a garland on the Groom , acknowledging his status as her husband.
The Priest will then ask the Groom to recite a slokam in Sanskrit , which means. “I’m tying this holy Thali around your neck signifying our long life and happiness with the blessings of God”.
Then the Groom ties the Thali , around the Bride's neck ( to the sound of traditional tamil drums and pipes) symbolising ever-lasting devotion.
The Groom makes 3 knots - the first two knots signify the commitment of the couple and to assure the well-being of the bride.
The third knot signifies the commitment between both families.
This rite is done amidst chanting of prayers, ringing of bells, rising music, and the noise of the crowd.
At this point, guests shower the newlyweds with fresh flower petals and yellow rice grains.
The Groom then places a red Kunkumam on the Bride's forehead to signify her status as a married woman.
The wedded couple circles the sacred fire as Vedic mantras are chanted in Sanskrit which describe seven sacred vows of marriage:-
To nourish each other;
To grow together in physical, spiritual and mental strength;
To be together in all stages of life and grow our wealth by righteous means ;
To share responsibilities and seek knowledge, happiness and harmony by mutual love and trust in a long joyous life together;
To care for our home and children;
To have bountiful seasons together ;
To remain true companions and continue as lifelong partners with understanding, loyalty and unity;
Saptapadi - The Seven Steps
After this, the Groom puts the Bride's feet unto a traditional granite grindstone and places a silver ring ( Metti) on her toe.
This is symbolic of the rock solid foundation for the union.
The Maalai Matral
Wedding Maalai is a garland of flowers entwined in thread.
The flowers symbolize happiness, aspirations, zeal and beauty and the thread is a medium to secure all these feelings and emotions together.
The Maalai Matral ( Garland Exchange) ceremony is a symbol of unifying two souls into one. It starts with the Groom putting the Garland on the bride.
After that the Bride puts the Garland on the Groom.
Finally the Groom and Bride put the garlands simultaneously on each other to show equality in their relationship .
Then Parents and Elders bless the couple on the ceremonial stage.
Games
After the Kalyanam has been solemnized, games will be arranged for the bride and groom.
Traditionally games are played by the Bride and Groom on the ceremonial stage . It promotes bonding and brings merriment to the occasion.
The popular games include finding the ring and key hidden in a pot full of scented with rose water and flower petals .
The Wedding ceremony ends with a lovely meal for all guests present.
