Sumangali Prarthanai

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The Sumangali Prarthanai is a prayer to the departed Sumangalis to bless the bride and the groom. Generally five or seven sumangalis, including a kanya girl (less than twelve years of age) are requested to take part in the main function. Saris and dress for the kanya girl are given as gifts in addition to auspicious items in the thamboolam like bangles, mirror, comb, kumkum box and blouse pieces.

Significance: The Hindu dharma has always considered the blessings of ancestors as important for the happiness and well being of the future generations. No important function is considered complete without invoking the blessings of the ancestors.

Vritham

The wedding rites/rituals/celebrations start off with prayers offered to ancestors to seek their and God's blessings for the upcoming wedding. This usually takes place in the early morning hours of the first wedding day. The bride's side does the rites for the bride's side of the family while the groom side does conducts its own prayers side-by-side.

Significance: The groom is still a brhamacharin in the ascetic garb. His Guru when he was initiated in this life of penance is his father, so it is essential that before he gets married he has to take permission from his father (Guru) to end his Brhama Charya Vritha and marry and lead a life of a Grihastha. This function is Vritham.

Janavasam or "maapillai azhaippu" - the procession

This is the archetypical picture of Indian celebration packed with a kaleidoscope of color, glitz, music and dancing! The groom would be seated on a horse-drawn chariot (or in some cases, beautifully adorned cars) as he makes a procession through the roads with his entourage. The accompanying entourage dances to the rhythm rendered by the accompanying band announcing to all the upcoming matrimony .

The bride and groom then make their way to the temple where the groom - "maapillai" - is given a new set of traditional/contemporary garments to wear for the following nischayathartham ceremony. The procession then makes its way back to the mandapam (wedding hall) where the nischayathartham then ensues.

Significance: The reason for this ritual is from the practice of announcing in early days to all the village people on who is the bride and groom. Much like 'speak now or forever hold your peace" sans the soap-opera-like dramatic sequence or the Bollywoodesque "yeh shaadi nahi ho sakti".

Nischayathartham - the engagement ceremony

After all the joyous dancing and pompous procession, the guests settle down at the mandapam to witness and bless the rites and rituals involved in the "engagement ceremony" with the background of Sanskrit mantras chanted by the Hindu priests.

Significance: The bride and groom are officially engaged in God's name and the auspicious timing for the Muhurtham - the actual wedding rites - is set in everybody's presence and the "Thaamboolam" plates are exchanged.