13 Steps To Perform Tamil Wedding Ceremony
- Vara Satkaarah - Reception of the bridegroom and his kinsmen at the entrance gate of the wedding hall where the officiating priest chants a few mantras and the bride's mother blesses the groom with rice and trefoil and applies tilak of vermilion and turmeric powder.
- Madhuparka Ceremony - Reception of the bridegroom at the altar and bestowing of presents by the bride's father.
- Kanya Dan - The bride's father gives away his daughter to the groom amidst the chanting of sacred mantras.
- Vivah-Homa - The sacred fire ceremony ascertaining that all suspicious undertakings are begun in an atmosphere of purity and spirituality.
- Pani-Grahan - The groom takes the right hand of the bride in his left hand and accepts her as his lawfully wedded wife.
- Pratigna-Karan - The couple walk round the fire, the bride leading, and take solemn vows of loyalty, steadfast love and life-long fidelity to each other.
- Shila-Arohan - The mother of the bride assists her to step onto a stone slab and counsels her to prepare herself for a new life.
- Laja-Homah - Puffed rice offered as oblations into the sacred fire by the bride while keeping the palms of her hands over those of the groom.
- Mangal Fera - The couple circles the sacred fire seven times. This aspect of the ceremony legalizes the marriage according to the Hindu Marriage Act as well custom.
- Saptapadi - Marriage knot symbolized by tying one end of the groom's scarf with the bride's dress.
- Abhishek - Sprinkling of water, meditating on the sun and the pole star.
- Anna Praashan - The couple make food offerings into the fire then feed a morsel of food to each other expressing mutual love and affection.
- Aashirvadah - Benediction by the elders.
