Basically the tenets of the Hindu Marriage, its conduct, procedure and styles are explicitly laid down in the vedas. Due to Regional Cultural influences, pleasant variations have crept in without altering the fundamentals. The Hindu Wedding is a balanced blending of religious, moral, cultural and joy, making it a memorable event. The vedic rituals solemnizes the marriage while indoctrinating specified duties of the couple through life. The Hindu Wedding Ceremony has number of rituals and customs, most of which are often labelled as superstitious or time-wasting. It is believed to be nothing but rituals and more rituals. But have we asked ourselves what a “Ritual” is?
A ritual begins as a creative rational action to express a sentiment or an idea-like the lighting of a lamp to dispel darkness at twilight or the folding of hands into a “Namaste” to greet an elder. As more and more people in succeeding generations repeat the action, it becomes a convention-than rituals. A ritual is thus an action on which time has set its seal of approval and sanctity. The rituals of the Hindu Wedding are each symbolic of beautiful and Noble sentiments. Unfortunately today many parents and couples perform them without an awareness of the rich meanings behind them.
A modest attempt has therefore been made to briefly describe the implications of the rituals of a Tamil Brahmin’s wedding. Mostly these are applicable to any other Hindu sect. For the elders, this information may be superfluous but it is hoped the younger generation, especially those yet to be married, may find these as general guidelines. So the South Indian Wedding has a significance and signify the theme ‘Simple living and High thinking’.
Nickhil Mani
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
