THE CULTURE AND CUSTOM OF THE INDIAN COMMUNITY: DEATH: THE TAKING OFF OF THE THAALI CEREMONY

Thaali vaangutal is a ceremony to take off the thaali when there is a death. Thaali can only be taken off by the wife after the husband passes away. The widow adorns beautiful clothing complete with accessories and sits beside the late husband body. Then she is poured with a jug of water and her bracelets are destroyed, as well as the kum-kum on her forehead is removed.Then both she and the late husband body are garlanded with flowers. The widow then has to place the garland from the late husband neck onto a tray containing oil, flowers and milk carried by another woman. This is symbolic of the dead husband taking off the thaali from the widow neck. This process is repeated three times.