Brahmin Wedding Rituals Explained with Photos

A series of 19 photos explaining the rituals involved in Brahmin weddings.

1. Vratham
2. Janavasam
3. Upanayanam
4. Gowri Pooja
5. Kasi Yatra (Pilgrimage to Kasi)
6. Oonchal
7. Kanya Danam
8. Sumuhurtam (The Auspicious Moment)
9. Malai Mathal
10. Kankana Dhaarana
11. Mangalya Dharanam
12. Binding in Thread
13. Talambralu (Rice and Petal Shower)
14. Paani Graharam
15. Saptha Padhi
16. Pradhana Homam
17. Treading on Grindstone
18. Laaja Homam
19. Finale

I definitely would have missed a few rituals in the middle or even at the end, but i have tried my best to explain why the whole wedding ceremony takes a few hours to finish.

From Typical South Indian Brahmin Wedding

The marriage ceremonies begin with vratham performed separately by the bride and the groom. For the bride, it means the tying of the kappu, the holy thread on her wrists, which is meant to ward off all evil sprits. It symbolizes a kind of protective armor for the bride

From Typical South Indian Brahmin Wedding

Inviting the groom to the ‘mandap’ and sorting out any differences between both families. This is a very important aspect of the marriage where any differences between the families are sorted out. This ceremony takes place in a temple. The bride’s family brings turmeric, betel leaves, nuts and clothes for the groom. The bride’s brother then garlands the groom, and sugar candy is distributed to all present. The groom is then escorted to a decorated car and the family leaves in a procession for the ‘mandapam’.

From Typical South Indian Brahmin Wedding

the transformation of a boy into a man... the upanayanam or threading ceremony during marriage symbolizes growing up from a boy into a man, ready for marriage

From Typical South Indian Brahmin Wedding

gowri pooja (Worshipping goddess Parvati, wife of Lord Shiva)

During this ritual the bride offers her prayers to invoke Goddess Gowri Devi seek her blessings. Goddess gowri dEvi is the icon of an ideal wife. The Goddess’ own marriage is the symbol of ever-lasting love. ardhanAreeshwaram is the concept of the perfect emotional, mental and physical union between 'gowri' and her divine husband Lord Shiva. Goddess gowri's marital commitment is belived to be so strong that it can save her husband from the kAla kooTa visham (lethal poison) he carries in his throat. By invoking the Goddess’ blessings, the bride prays for similar strength and a long, happy, married life with her husband.

From Typical South Indian Brahmin Wedding

This is a very important part of the ceremony. Immediately after his student life, the young bachelor has two alternatives before him – Grihasta or Sanyas. Being by nature in a satwic state due to strict adherence of bachelorhood and observance of austerities, he is drawn towards asceticism. Therefore he makes his way to Kasi, complete with slippers, umbrella, a fan made of bamboo etc. On his way the bride’s father intervenes and advises him of the superiority of married life to an ascetic life. He also promises to give his daughter as companion to face the challenges of life.

Dressed in the traditional ‘panchakatcham’, holding an umbrella, a fan, a walking stick, and a towel containing ‘dal’ (lentils) and rice tied to his shoulder, the groom embarks on a mock pilgrimage. As he steps out of the ‘mandapam’, the bride’s father pleads with him not to go to ‘Kashi’ (a sacred pilgrimage site in the city of Benaras) and marry his daughter instead.

After much ado the groom accepts and returns to the ‘mandappam’ to get married! The umbrella is to remain with the groom, to remind him in the future of this advice. As promised his wife stands by him in his life.

From Typical South Indian Brahmin Wedding

Water and lighted lamps are circulated around the couple in order to guard against demons and ghosts

From Typical South Indian Brahmin Wedding

Giving away the bride. The bride is made to sit on her father’s lap and is given away as a gift by him to the bridegroom. In the bride’s head, a ring made of Darbha of Kusa grass is placed. And over it is placed a yoke. The gold Mangal Sutra or Thali is placed on the aperture of the yoke. And water is poured though the aperture.

Let this gold multiply your wealth, Let this water purify your married life, And may your prosperity increase. Offer yourself to your husband.

The symbolism of the yoke is drawn out of ancient rural life where the only mode of transport for households was the bullock cart. It is supposed to signify that just as a bullock cart cannot run with just one bull, the marriage needs both the bride and groom. Both of them have to face their responsibilities together.

The bride is then given an auspicious ablution. A new sari, exclusive for the occasion, called the koorai is chosen. The colour of the koorai is ‘arraku’ i.e. red, the colour associated with Shakti. This sari is draped around the bride by the sister of the bridegroom, signifying her welcome to the bride.

From Typical South Indian Brahmin Wedding

At the sumuhurtam,precise auspicious moment, with the cloth veil still upheld, the bride and the groom place and hold a paste, made of cumin seeds and Jaggery / brown sugar, over each other's heads. The cloth veil is then removed, unveiling the "new' life in holy matrimony.

From Typical South Indian Brahmin Wedding

The bride and groom are lifted to the shoulders of their respective maternal uncles. This is an expression of continuing sibling support to their mothers. And in that position the two garland each other thrice for a complete union. In the shastras, the exchange of garlands symbolizes their unification, as one soul in two bodies. It is inward acceptance by each of the very fragrance in the other.

From Typical South Indian Brahmin Wedding

The bride ties a string fastened to a piece of turmeric around the wrist of the bridegroom to bind themselves by a religious vow. It is only after tying the kankanam that the bridegroom gets the right to touch the bride. A little later, the bridegroom ties a kankanam to the bride’s wrist.

From Typical South Indian Brahmin Wedding

The tying of the Mangal Sutra or Thali takes place at exactly the pre-determined auspicious hour. The bride is seated over a sheaf of grain-layden hay looking eastward while the bridegroom faces westward. The bridegroom puts the gold Mangal Sutra around the neck of the bride. As he does so the Nadaswaram is played loud and fast so as to muffle any inauspicious sounds at the critical hour. This is called Getti Melam. Sumangali ladies sing auspicious songs. At the same time as the mangal sutra a turmeric thread is also put around the bride’s neck. To this three knots are tied. The first one by the bridegroom. The other two knots are tied by the groom’s sister to make the bride a part of their family. The vedic hymn recited by the bridegroom when he ties the knot is:

I pray to the Almighty that I be blessed with a long life. I tie this knot around your neck. Oh Soubhagyawati, may providence bestow on you a fulfilling life of a Sumangali for a hundred years to come!

From Typical South Indian Brahmin Wedding

the threads that bind us forever.....

From Typical South Indian Brahmin Wedding

The bride and the groom shower one another with pearls & talambrAlu (rice mixed with saffron & turmeric). This denotes the couple’s desire for happiness, enjoyment and contentment. Initially they take turns to shower the riceimageshowever as it progresses it gets more entertaining when they begin to compete with each other

From Typical South Indian Brahmin Wedding

This means holding hands. The groom holds the hand of the bride. The mantras say

The Gods have offered you to me in order that I may live the life of a Grihasta. We shall not part from each other even when we grow old.

From Typical South Indian Brahmin Wedding

Holding the bride’s hand the bridegroom walks seven steps around the holy fire with her. This is the most important part of the marriage ceremonly. And only when they walk these seven steps together (i.e. perform the saptha padhi) is the marriage complete. With each step they take a vow. The belief is that when one walks seven steps with another, one becomes the other’s friend. The mantras said at this time mean:

Ye who have walked with me, become my companion, whereby I acquire your friendship. We shall remain together – Inseparable. Let us make a vow together. We shall love, share the same food, share our strengths, thesame tastes. We shall be of one mind. We shall observe the vows together. I shall be the Sama and you the Rig. I shall be the upper world and you the earth. I shall be the sukhilam and you the holder. Together we shall live, beget children and other riches. Come thou, o sweet worded girl.

As they hold hands and walk around the fire, the bride and groom pledge the following vows:

Let us take this first step vowing to keep a pure household, avoiding all things injurious to our health.
Let us take this second step vowing to develop mental, physical and spiritual strengths.
Let us take this third step with the aim of increasing our wealth by righteous means.
Let us take this fourth step to acquire knowledge, happiness, and harmony by mutual love and trust.
Let us take this fifth step to pray for virtuous, intelligent and courageous children.
Let us take this sixth step for longevity.
Let us take this final step to vow that we will always remain true companions and life-long partners.

From Typical South Indian Brahmin Wedding

A crucial part of the wedding is the homage paid by the couple to Agni, the God of Fire. They couple goes around the fire, and feed it with ghee and twigs of nine types of holy trees as sacrificial fuel. The fumes that arise possess medicinal, curative and cleansing effects on the bodies of the couple. Agni, the mightiest power in the cosmos, the sacred purifier, the all-round benefactor is deemed as a witness to the sacred marriage. Hence the term ‘Agni Saakshi’ or witness by fire

From Typical South Indian Brahmin Wedding

Holding the bride’s left toe the bridegroom helps her to tread on a grindstone kept on the right side of a fire. The mantras chanted say:

Mount on this stone, and let thy mind be rock firm, unperturbed by the trials and tribulations of life

This ritual is symbolic of the solid rock foundation for the union

From Typical South Indian Brahmin Wedding

This comprises the bride’s own offering into the sacrificial fire. As an expression of sibling support to her marriage her brother helps her. He gives her a handful of puffed rice grains which she hands to the bridegroom, who on her behalf, feeds it to the fire. Through this food offering, the bride seeks a long life for her husband and for propagation of her family. Participation of the bride’s brother indicates the continuance of links between the two families even after marriage. The couple circles the fire three times. The feeding of puffed rice to the fire is also repeated thrice.

From Typical South Indian Brahmin Wedding

The priest gathers family from both sides. the Bride places her left foot on a plate of salt and sugar.

just like life has its sweet moments, it can also have downs and the bride swears to be by her man at all times. while the groom places his right foot on rice (symbolic) promising prosperity and well being till eternity

rice is symbolic of prosperity and health