Nagarathar Marriage Rituals
Nagarathar marriagge is conducted for sigle day.Even today,though almost all the nagarathar stay away from their nagara village,they prefer to have their son/daughter's marriage in their native village.The marriage in Chettinad in good old days,was more elaborate and complex. The marriage ceremony was long drawn procedure punctuated with various rituals, customs including gift giving for the wellbeing of the newly married and thus marriage was six days affair. Procession of bridegroom (‘mappillai’ ) accompanied by musicians together with another contingent of relatives of the bride especially the ladies with their colourful costumes mostly in ‘Kandangi’ handloom cotton ‘sarees’, used to be fun filled affair. ‘Nadu Veettu Kolam’ drawing with the use of wet rice flour drawn by ‘aachis’ and the wooden
Before Marriage
there are few formalities before marriage in the nagarathar community.
Pen parkudhal
Usuaaly the prospective mother-in-Law ,father-in-law and few other close realives go to a common place ,to see the bride to be.
Pesi mudithu kolludhal
once the bride is approved by all,they would exchange betel leaves and nuts(vethalai pakku matri kolluthal).This is a confirmation gestuere that the bride and the groom are finalized.The bride's parents and grooms parent(now called sambanthi) decide upon a common day discussiong the astrolgers for the marriage
Muhurtha kaal unrudhal
Once the marriage date is finalized realives arrive 4-5 days before marriage.This is the very first formality relted to marriage.A bamboo cane is fitted with mango leaves on the top puja is done and close relatives of the bride and the groom keep manjal and kungumam at 5 places in the cane .once it is over the cane is tied upstaright.This serves as a notification to others in the surrounding that a marriage is going to be conducted at this house
Veetu padaippu/podhu padaippu
Every house ,they pray to their anscestors which is known as veetu padaippu nad all the "pangalis" together perform podhu padaippu.In podhu padaippu which is usually conducted at the common padaippu veedu,paniayaram(made of rice flour and karuppatti) is done by all achi's and each famil gets one after the padaippu.The day before marriage pangali's and thaya pillaigal would come to both brides and grooms place to make the nadu veetu kolam and manai kolam
On the day of marriage
Mappillai azhaipu
On the day of marriage in the morning before muhurtham ,the groom's family arrive at the bride's village but do not enter the bride's home.The mappillai veetar( groom's side) arrive and wait at some pillayar temple or community centres where the pen veetar(bride's side) headed by bride's father go to welcome them with band.This is called mappillai azhaippu.
Pen edukki kattuthal
When the groom reaches bride's house she is brought to the door and shown to him.
Thirupotuthal
The brides maternal uncle and grooms maternal uncle (Mamakarargal) wear mamakar pattu ( a flourosent pink silkt towel) wrapped around .The groom sits in the manai.The brides maternal uncle brings her in the manai
The groom ties Kaluthiru’ –the sacred thread or gold chain or Chettiyar thaali was worn during the day of marriage and a substitute gold thaali was given for regular use. The Kaluthiru is a double piece gold chains generally contains a set of total 34 items of hand crafted gold ornaments including two pendants considered to be the most sacred. The pendants carrying the image of goddess ‘Lakshmi’ at the front side and the icons of ‘Meenakshi Sundareswarar’ ‘Rishaba’ bull in the second row. What is very important to note is that these two motifs viz. Lakshmi and Shiva - Parvathi are oft repeated theme in Chettinad, which are highly revered by the Nattukottai Nagarathar as the former symbolizing protection and prosperity while Shiva Parvathi pair on bull, represents happy family life. The Kaluthiru in Tamil language has two different meanings – ‘Kalutheru’ means the chain on neck while ‘Kaluth - Thiru’, denotes the Lakshmi as Thiru in Tamil indicates Mahalakshmi.
