Tirunelveli Saiva Pillai Marriage Traditions

  1.The newly wedded couple are seated facing the East . The bride sits on the right side of the groom. 2. Three cups containing oil, shika and turmeric powder will be placed before them. 3. The girl’s brother places few drops of oil and shika on the groom’s hair three times . He repeats the same for the girl with turmeric also. 4. The girl does the same for the groom (only oil and shika). 5. The groom repeats the same for the bride (oil, shika and tumeric). 6. The bride’s brother is gifted a gold ring and a set of pant and shirt from the groom. 7. The groom’s sister also receives sural now. 8. The newly weds normally take a ceremonial / formal bathing routine .  9. This function is followed by nuptial night. 10. The room is decorated with flowers and the sweets and savories kept inside the room will be given to the groom’s sister along with andhanam sural the next morning.

  1.This ceremony is normally be held after the reception. 2. In normal ancient age old practices there used to be a grand display of all the items presented as Dowry such as vessels, sarees, jewels. . Nowadays many don’t relish such displays. 3. The eldest son-in-law from the bride’s side will receive the first sural in a thamboolam containg beetal leaves,pakku, manjal and coconut as a mark of respect from the bride’s parents. 4. The groom’s brother-in-law receives the same from the groom’s parents. 5. The newly wed will receive new clothes and sural in a thamboolam containg beetal leaves,pakku, manjal and coconut from the girl’s father. 6. The bride and the groom will exchange garlands. 7. This dress is worn on the following morning.

  1. The Groom is invited to sit facing the East and the bride facing the west. 2. They will start the proceedings by rolling to and fro a beautiful ball made of Flowers and after some time with a silver coconut . This is a ritual to make the newly weds comfortable and familiar to one another and also adds a lot of fun and frolic to the occasion .    3. The bride sprinkles rose water on her husband and smears sandal and Kumkum on right foot of the groom with devotion and reverence . The bride is expected to stand and perform these rituals    4. The groom repeats the same but on the right hand of the bride with equal love and admiration he generally performs this ritual seated .  5. They play some games like pallankuzhi. 6. Twelve roasted appalams (sutta appalam) are brought by members of the family , Out of that six will be placed above the grooms head and attempted to be broken expecting all the pieces to fall all over him . He is helped by his frien...