Wedding details
Ceremony: 04th October 2025 at 09:30AM
Celebration: 04th October 2025 at 05:00PM
Place:
Stadthalle Markgröningen
Benzberg 1
71706 Markgröningen
Information and Order of a Hindu Wedding
1. Maapillai Alaippu - The groom is picked up
In this traditional ritual, the bride's brother, also known as Tholan, along with her parents, picks up the groom accompanied by relatives from his home. During this process, the Tholan places a Thalaippa (a turban) on the groom’s head and accompanies him to the temple.
2. Maapillai Varavetpu - Warm Welcome of the Groom
The wedding celebrations begin with the arrival of the groom. Upon entering the hall, the bride’s parents welcome the groom with a floral garland. As a token of gratitude, the groom presents a gold ring to the Tholan. Two women, symbolizing the groom and bride, perform the Aarathi with banana wick lamps on a tray to ward off the evil eye. Following this, the Tholan and the bride's parents escort the groom to the Manavarai, the wedding altar.
3. Pillaiar & Panchakavya Pooja
The priest performs a ritual worship on behalf of the groom by praying to Lord Ganesha. In this prayer, he asks for the removal of any obstacles and for harmony during the wedding ceremony. In the subsequent Panchakavya Pooja, the groom’s surroundings, mind, and body are purified to ensure that he enters into the sacred bond of marriage. As a symbol of spiritual purification, the groom is given a Thetpai (grass ring). Additionally, a saffron thread is tied around his wrist to protect him from any potential future dangers.
4. Kanyathaanam Thaanam
Now, the bride enters, accompanied by the Tholi (the groom's younger sister), her relatives, and friends. The priest also performs purification rituals for her. During the Kannika Thaanam ritual, the bride’s father symbolically places her hand into that of the groom, accompanied by the chanting of sacred verses from the Vedas. This act officially makes the bride a member of the groom’s family. The priest calls out the names of three generations of male ancestors from both families, inviting them to witness the wedding and bestow their blessings.
5. The Sacred Fire and the Presentation of the Koorai Saree
The sacred fire is then lit, and prayers are offered asking the goddess Agni, the goddess of fire, to witness the wedding, thereby fulfilling the divine testimony of the marriage bond. The groom presents the bride with the Koorai Saree (wedding saree) and the golden necklace, the Thaali. These are then passed around among the guests to be blessed. Afterward, the bride leaves the wedding altar (Manavarai) and retreats to change into the Koorai Saree.
6. Thaali Kattu - Tying of the Thaali
This marks the most significant and awaited moment of the wedding. Dressed in her radiant red Koorai Saree, the bride returns to the Manavarai and places a floral garland around the groom’s neck, symbolizing her consent. To the rhythm of the Thavils (drums) and the sounds of the Naathaswarams (classical trumpets), the groom ties the Thaali around the bride's neck. As a blessing, the guests shower the couple with flowers. The groom applies a Kunkuma-Pottu, a red dot, on the bride’s forehead with his finger – a symbol of a married woman. A close relative breaks a coconut in half, symbolizing a bloodless offering. The sweet coconut water represents love, the white kernel stands for purity, and the broken shell symbolizes selflessness and the shedding of ego. Finally, the couple exchanges floral garlands.
7. Prathakshanam - Circumambulate the sacred fire
The couple, accompanied by the Tholan and the Tholi, now takes their first steps together as husband and wife around the sacred fire. They perform this ceremony three times. After the first round around the fire, the groom takes the bride’s right foot, places it on a granite stone (Ammi), and places a silver ring on her second toe. This is repeated at the end of the second round, but on her left foot. At the end of the third round, a “ring-finding game” takes place, where the one who finds the ring first is said to dominate the marriage.
