Should there be no opposal, the wedding date is then fixed.Įngagement ceremony: a formal engagement is conducted in a church with prayers in presence of Vicar. If anyone opposes the marriage, they are requested to come forward within those three weeks. Christian marriages start with taking permission for marriage from the concerned church.įor three weeks following the Manasammatham, the church publically announces the couple's engagement following the Sunday prayers. There is a mixture of customs between Christians and Hindu. Marriages among Kerala Christians are a bit different from those of other parts of the world. The bride enters her new home with her right feet first.
It includes welcoming of the bride by her mother in law by performing aarthi of the couple. The marriage rituals conclude with garlanding each other and taking pheras around Kalyan mandap.Īfter these rituals groom gifts, a traditional saree to the bride which is known as Mundu and then the bride needs to be dressed in it at the time of her departure to new home. tying of Thali (Mangalsutra) by groom around bride's neck. Kanyadan is performed by bride's father followed by Thalliketu i.e. Bride and groom made to sit on this platform. Just before wedding day, the bride needs to visit a nearby temple and seeks blessings from almighty for her happy married life this is followed by blessings from all the elders of the family.Ī raised platform known as Kalyan mandapam is decorated with Nirapara ( a pot filled with paddy) and nilvillaku (traditional lamp). The families exchange gifts after which a grand traditional feast called Sadya is served to all the guests. During the celebration, mothiram maattal (ring exchange) ceremony may take place. This date is fixed by family priest and both the family announces it to their close relatives.ĭuring this ceremony, the compared and approved horoscopes are exchanged between families. If the compatibility of horoscope matches then boy family visits the girl place to see her and fix auspicious date called 'Muhurtham' for engagement and Thalliketu (tying of nuptial knot).
Hindu marriages start with the matching of the horoscope of boy and girl by an astrologer. Let's have a closer look at different flavors of Kerala matrimonial ceremonies. The use of white color as the wedding dress, bride laden with gold jewelry and the Sadya (an authentic Kerala feast) are some of the major similarities. In spite of various diverse rituals, there is a remarkable similarity between marriages of these communities. The three major communities of Kerala include Hindus (54.8%), Muslims (26.56), and Christians (18.58%).Įach community has their own way of celebrating the pious event called marriage. Like the diverse natural beauty of Kerala, the people of Kerala also belongs to diverse communities.