People meet and forget, but few people are destined to stay together in life forever. Only few relations other than blood relations stay with a human being for his lifetime. One of the bonds, which tie the knot of lifelong togetherness between a man and a woman, is marriage. Weddings in India are celebrated with great auspiciousness and demands strong conviction of both bride and groom in the relation. Due to India being a multi-cultural land, the ways in which marriages in different religions are performed also varies. The beliefs and the customs of people differ according to the community and religion they belong to. Wedding rituals generally differ according to the place the bride and groom live in and the religion they follow. One of the regions in India, where marriages are performed with great sanctity and holiness is Kerala.
Most of the Kerala matrimonies are performed according to the Hindu religion. They have a traditional way in which the marriages take place. People living in Kerala generally belong to the Nair community. They prefer marrying their children with the bride or groom from their own community. This helps the couple to easily adjust with each other and lead their married life happily. Kerala Matrimony takes place in big halls, with their relatives and friends gathered at one place, before the wedding the bride and groom visit temples with their respective families to take blessings from the God.
Kerala matrimonies depict a truly traditional ambience, with the following customs:
Nirapara and Nilavilakku
These are things kept at the place, where the Kerala matrimony is taking place. It is to add sanctity to the atmosphere and receive blessings from various Gods. Nirapara is referred to a filled measure. A wooden box is used conventionally to measure paddy, which is called para. This measure is generally mixed up with coconut flowers and paddy, which is inserted into the heap.
Nilavilakku is known as a huge brass lamp placed on a stand having a cup at its top. This cup is usually filled till the top with oil and wicks are kept in on with its one edge coming out from the cup. The end with the projection is lighted and it continues to burn till a long time, by drawing oil from the cup. The cup is lightened to let the God of fire, witness the sacred occasion and add auspiciousness to the moment.
Tying of the Thali
Thali tying is an important ceremony in the Kerala matrimony. This marks the historical moment in the life of the Kerala bride and groom. In this ceremony, the groom ties a yellow thread with a banyan leaf shaped pendant on the neck of the bride. Earlier this thread used to be tied to the Keralite girl, once she reached her puberty, but now-a-days, it is tied at the time of Kerala matrimony.
Pudava Koda
It is the ceremony, which is also referred as the real marriage ceremony in Kerala matrimony. In this the groom reached the house of the bride accompanied by few of his family members and close relatives. In their presence, he gives a Pudava to his bride. This is the sacred moment, which binds the bride and groom to the lifetime bond of marriage. Pudava is a cloth, which is traditionally worn by the women of Kerala.
These steps constitutes the wedding ceremony, completing after which the bride and groom commences their married life. Kerala matrimony has different yet beautiful rituals, which binds the man and woman to one thread of life, thereby showering happiness and joy in their life ahead.
matrimony
Wedding Rituals in Kerala
