A Look into a Traditional Brahmin Wedding: Sriram & Surya’s Wedding at Thiruvannamalai
If you ever have the opportunity to attend a traditional Indian wedding, don’t pass it up! If you’re thinking that it may be difficult to spot all of the differences between Hindu and Western wedding traditions, think again! Brahmin weddings – which take place in Tamil Nadu and neighboring states – follow many of the same practices as Western weddings, but with subtle cultural differences and some additional personal touches that make these events truly one-of-a-kind.
Traditional Brahmin Namkeen
The groom and his family traditionally offer Namkeen (crisp savory snacks) to every guest present at their wedding. This is done after most of them have arrived and settled down, around an hour or so before lunch. The entire scene is just beautiful, with a bunch of little kids running around collecting money on their plates from everyone for their Sahayadri Trust to buy books and pay for blind kids’ education. Meanwhile, some other women are cutting up freshly fried puffs and kutti-kutti (the traditional way of making food using banana leaves) in small quantities, so that people don't leave hungry while waiting for lunch to be served.
The Mehendi Ceremony
Mehendi is traditionally worn by women on their hands and feet. The groom applies it to her in an intricate design that can take an hour or more. Typically, brides will have henna applied to their arms from wrist to shoulder and down both legs, but not always. In some cases, it is only applied to their hands and feet. Whatever your style, make sure you do your research first. Every region of India has its own interpretation of what Mehendi should look like – there are regional patterns, styles, and colors for every part of your body - so find out what’s appropriate where you live! The application typically begins with simple geometric shapes using thicker lines before becoming increasingly intricate.
The Reception:
The bride and groom are taken to their respective homes in separate cars, with drums beating and horns honking. At their respective homes, they are welcomed by parents and in-laws. The car procession stops briefly outside both houses to exchange greetings and sweets. The bride is welcomed with an Arathi (happiness) ceremony where she will receive betel leaves (betel nuts are not given). For formal occasions like weddings, women always dress in saris or sarees; for casual occasions, they wear salwar kameez or skirts.
Festivities Before the Wedding:
In Hindu tradition, it is believed that marriage brings prosperity to the family. The bride and groom are expected to exchange gifts as part of their marriage ceremony (which is known as Akshara Daanam), for their families well-being. Because of its symbolic importance, many families spend months collecting money for their daughter’s or son’s wedding. You can learn more about Indian weddings here.
A Walk Through The Entire Event:
The morning began with an abhishekham, where oil and grains were poured on the heads of all those who would soon wed. After these simple, but joyous events, I headed to the venue where I waited for Sriram’s arrival. In Hindu weddings, it is customary for many traditions to take place before walking down to see your groom. One of these involves covering both brides’ and groom’s eyes with their hands while they sit together on chairs. They then must guess each other’s identity through touch alone (which can be tricky as you try not to laugh). Once that game was finished, we finally made our way over to see Sriram.
Our dream wedding became a reality with the help of DreamLight Photography. Our wedding was held at the beautiful Raja Mahal in India. The photos captured by DreamLight Photography were simply amazing. They truly captured the essence of our special day. We are so thankful to have had such a talented and professional team to capture our wedding day memories.
