When you hear “Sitha Kalyana Vaibhogame” “Rama Kalyana Vaibhogame” the heavenly Thyagaraaja composition, this rendition is typical of an Iyer Wedding. This song celebrates the wedding of Sita and Rama and the bride and bridegroom symbolizing Sita and Rama invoking the blessings of Lord Rama. The wedding of the bride Sreeni and the groom Santhosh was the epitome of a typical Iyer Wedding. The tradition-filled nuptials were held at Ramada By Wyndham Resort, Kochi. The couple’s hashtag was #SantoReeniKalyanam. A traditional Iyer wedding is a blending of various Hindu rituals and ‘Vaidika’ ceremonies and rituals that bring families together There are some common pre-wedding and wedding rituals and ceremonies that are characteristic of every wedding in the Iyer community.

The Indian bride and groom are dressed in traditional attire, which is the focal point of every wedding. The groom wore a traditional dhoti with a traditional sherwani. The bride wore a gorgeous pattu silk sari and brocade blouse. The jewellery of bride wore traditional jewellery, Palakka Mala and was bedecked with temple jewellery. Mehendi was applied to the bride’s hands.

After bedecking the bride and the groom, they are seated in a place where all the elderly people of the family bless the bride and groom. Finally, the wedding ceremony started at 5 am in the morning. The ceremony is accompanied by traditional shehnai or takil and nadswaram in classical music. The bride and groom were escorted by the family members to the kalyana mandapam, where the next important event, ‘Eduru Sanaham,’ takes place with much pomp.
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Rituals 1 – Edhuru Sanaham

‘Eduru Sannaham’ is one of the important events on the day of marriage. The bride and her family are present at the kalyana mandapam before the arrival of the groom and his family. They make all the necessary arrangements for welcoming the groom and his family. The groom and his family were ceremonially welcomed by the bride’s family, welcoming the groom’s family with welcoming garlands amidst the traditional music of ‘Nadaswaram’

Ritual 2- “Nischaya Tambulaalu / Nischitardham”

The traditional Iyer marriage rituals start with ‘Engagement’, known as ‘Nischaya Tambulaalu’ / ‘Nischitardham’. Nischitardham is an important pre-wedding event that takes place prior to marriage at the time of Sangeet function. In the presence of friends and families as well as ‘purohitulu’, the priest writes the ‘lagna patrika’. The ‘lagna patrika’ contains the bride and the groom’s parents’ names and the auspicious time of the wedding day.

Ritual 3- Pendikoothuru function (Haldi ceremony)

This ceremony is similar to the haldi ritual in Northern India. In this ceremony, it involves both bride and groom being smeared with nalugua mixture of oil and turmeric paste which is applied to the girl and the boy before marriage. After this, they take bathe or ‘mangala snanalu’ after which the bride wears the first new set of traditional saree. The bride adorns her hair with flowers and is blessed by the ‘mutaidu’ or married women by giving the bride flowers, sweets, betel leaves and bangles. Pendikoothuru was conducted in the banquet hall.

Rituals 4 – Kashiyatra

The Kashiyatra was held near the courtyard area of the Ramada Resort. The mandap near the courtyard area was decorated with Kuruthola and Red flowers. Pooja arrangements were readied and placed there. This is a fun event for the groom’s side, which includes some amusement and fun with the groom. The groom sets off on a Kashi Yatra. The groom wears new slippers and carries an umbrella, a walking stick and a grandha. The bride’s father stops him at the gate and requests him not to go to Kashi and persuades him to come back by offering his daughter’s hand in marriage; the groom accepts the proposal and returns to the mandap.

Ritual 5- Gauri Puja

It was held in the courtyard mandap area. The bride prays to goddess Gauri and asks for
her blessings for a happy life. Gauri Devi is worshipped by married women for a happy married life. In this ritual, the bride sits in a huge basket, which is smeared with turmeric paste and decorated with kumkum bottu and ‘dhanyam’, which symbolizes prosperity.
On completion of Gauri Puja, the bride who is seated in the ‘Gowri gampa’ or the basket is carried to the ‘mandapam’. She is seated in the ‘mandapam’ facing the groom with a curtain between them so that they can’t see each other’s faces.

Ritual 6 – Ganesh Puja

The Ganesh puja is performed in the mandapam. While the bride performs the Gauri Puja, the groom sits in the decorated mandapam, and the priest starts the ceremonial ritual of the wedding by invoking the blessings of Lord Ganesha.

Ritual 7 – Brides Entry with traditional style with Ashtamangalyam and Thalam

By this time, the bride is carried to the mandapam and is seated in front of the groom with a curtain between the two. The bride enters the kalyana mandapam with Ashtamangalyam, which is an integral part of many Pujas.

Ritual 8- Jeerakalla -Bellamu

The bride and groom apply a thick paste of jaggery and jeera on each other’s handi. The paste is applied under the curtains.
All these rituals take place very quickly; by the time ‘kanyadanam’ is finished, the bride and the groom are still unable to see one another as they are separated by a curtain. They hold ‘jeera-karra bellam’, which is a thick paste made of jeera and jaggery in betel leaves.
At the auspicious time, the bride and the groom place ‘Jeelakara Bellam’ on each other’s heads from underneath the curtain.

Ritual 9 – Mangalsutra Ritual

The curtain is removed soon after this, with the bride and the groom facing each other. A mangalsutra is tied by the groom around the neck of his bride with three knots. All the guests bless the newly wedded couple with rice grains mixed with turmeric powder.
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Ritual 10- Kanyadan

‘Kanyadanam’ is done by the parents of the bride. After washing the groom’s feet, while chanting mantras and ‘sannai melam’, the parents give the hand of their daughter (bride) to the groom’s hand and give away their daughter in ‘danam’ (donation) to the groom. The groom promises that he will take care of their daughter. This event is known as ‘Kanyadanam’ or the giving away of the bride to the groom.

Ritual 11- Akshata and Saptapadi

A garland of flowers is exchanged between the bride and the groom. As the bride and groom take the seven rounds around the havan kund containing the Agni. Mangalsutra is established with the Saptapadi. Each of the steps is called a ‘Phere’, and each Phere stands for the seven promises made by the couple to each other as they exchange vows.

The decor for the wedding day was elaborate and sophisticated. The welcome board was placed near the entrance of the tent area with a list of all the rituals and the timings of each event. The welcome board was decorated with lotus uruli, elephant statues, and ladies’ statues with fresh flower arrangements. The entrance arch created a traditional style entrance arch with brass and fresh flowers. A Ganesh idol with some flowers was placed near the entry area. A Customised flower Cone arrangement was set up near the entry of the pandal for showering the couple with flowers.

A Tiffany chair with kasavu chair bow was an attractive feature for the seating arrangements for the wedding.

A photo booth was created, a pagoda area with olakudda hanging as decor for taking pictures. A Remembrance table was decorated with flowers, with a small table next to the mandapam. The main event, the wedding and all other rituals took place in the mandapam with the backwater in the background. The mandap is colourfully decorated with fresh flowers. Pillars on stage used the design of traditional pillars. Kerala-style kasav fabric was used on the four sides of the mandap pillars. Sparked-out trellis came out from the ceiling of the stage with fresh flower hangings and brass bells. The bride’s make-up was done by Aiswarya Karayil, and the groom’s look was styled by Sooraj S. K.