THE CULTURE AND CUSTOM OF THE INDIAN COMMUNITY: WEDDING: BEFORE A WEDDING

INVITATION CARD

Printed invitation cards prepared according to Hindu almanac play an important part in a wedding of the Indian community. The card is smeared with liquidified turmeric powder as a symbol of harmony. If there are mistakes in the card mean the wedding will not be smooth flowing. Cards in odd numbers are brought to the temple for blessings, called arccanai. The cards are placed on a tray together with betel leaves, money notes and betel nuts as symbols of wealth. The betel leaves and betel nuts are given to signify an official invitation.

PREPARATION OF THAALI/TJRUMAANGGALYAM

Thaali is garlanded to both the newly weds and this ceremony is a pure wedding symbol. Thaali is made of white thread smeared with turmeric. The type of thaali differs according to the Indian castes. The preparation of thaali begins seven or nine days before a wedding.

MUKUURTTA KAAL

This custom Is conducted five days before a wedding. A young and straight wood two or three meters in length is cut. The wood has a circumference of 20 to 30 centimeters from various types. Five married women smear liquidified turmeric powder and kum-kum on the wood from the base to the tip and tie them with fig or mango leaves using red cloth, and then pierce the wood onto the ground about half a meter deep on the house compound. Nine grains are sprinkled at the wood base and oil lamps are lighted. This custom is to signify that a wedding is going to be held at the house. The would-be bride family prays to God requesting that the wedding can be held without any obstructions.