Vasanth weds Pranjali (with details)

Scenes from our wedding... set to the song "Thaazham Poo" from the movie Deva Ragam... with the mangalya dharana shloka from the song "Aidhu Rojula Pelli"...

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• iyengar
• wedding
• madhwa
• thazham
• poo
• south indian

[vskain]

Pre-wedding Day Events:

1. Madhwan Shaasthra - The groom goes to his uncle's house in order to participate in a ritual where the seven sacred bachelors are invoked and oil is placed on the groom's head, arms, and feet before he showers. This is followed by a lunch.

2. Pandhal (Chapra) Shaasthra - A canopy is made wrapped around with leaves from a coconut tree, and decorated with flowers. Such canopies indicate an auspicious occasion within the house.

[vskain]

Wedding Day Events:

1. Naandi - This ritual is the first in any major auspicious event, and is done to honor the ancestors and family dynasty. We invoke the blessings of our elders for the auspicious occasion that is about to begin. The groom is officially dressed from his bachelorhood attire to wedded life traditional attire, and is welcomed into "grihastha ashrama," the wedded phase of life.

[vskain]

2. Vishwaksena Aradhana - This is a tradition of all Iyengars. Vishwaksena is the chief of Vishnu's army, but symbolically is the first one who is worshipped in all festivities. He represents the removal of obstacles and hardships that may come.

[vskain]

3. Arishaani - This only a Mandyam Iyengar tradition, and is done in order to be blessed with children. A sacred tree known as the "arali" tree is circled by an elder married woman, the groom's sister, and the bride. In front of the tree, and a stone representing the snake, which symbolizes fertility, the bride and groom's sister put water, rangavalli (a white decorative powder), turmeric, vermillion, and incense.

[vskain]

4. Gowri Pooja - This is a Madhwa custom in which the bride prays to goddess Gowri for her blessings.

5. Bhagina - This is a Madhwa tradition in which the bride gives her mother-in-law gifts.

[vskain]

6. Kaashi Yatra - This tradition is universal, and involves the groom enacting a scene in which he goes to Kaashi (aka Varanasi, Banares) in order to obtain higher education, as Kaashi was once a seat of high learning. On his way, the bride's side stops him and offers him the bride. He turns around, and is escorted with the bride's brother holding an umbrella to the wedding hall, representing his acceptance of the proposal.

[azyb2409]

Good explanation. Just a few days ago, I was telling my hubby that the younger generation do not know whats happening during a wedding and thats one main reason why many marriages end up in split up. If everybody understands and performs these rituals with utmost sincerity, the marriages will live longer.

You and your wife make a good pair and wish you both a very happy married life.

[vskain]

7. Antharpata - This is a Madhwa tradition (also found in other Kannada and Telugu cultures) in which a curtain is held in between the bride and groom so they cannot see each other. As soon as the curtain is removed, the bride and groom see each other for the first time.

[vskain]

8. Sambandha Maala - This is a Tamil community (Iyengar and Iyer) ritual in which the bride and groom exchange garlands three times, representing the exchange of the relationship. The respective uncles carry both the bride and groom.

9. Oonjal - At this Tamil ceremony, the girl's father washes the groom's feet, and he sits with the bride on a swing. The couple is blessed and the elders sing songs.

[vskain]

10. Kankana - This is a Madhwa custom in which five married couples encircle the bride and groom, and a string is passed around. Other communities also tie a kankana - a string around the wrist - during the wedding, but do not encircle the bride and groom in the ritual.

11. Yedhara Akki - This is a Madhwa tradition in which the bride and groom face each other, and they take handfuls of colored rice and pour it in top of each other.