This is one of the important ceremonies of the wedding. The maternal uncles play an important role in Hindu weddings which shows love among the family. 

What Happens During the Thirupoothuthal
During this ceremony, the maternal uncles (mamakarargal) of both the bride and the groom have a special pink silk towel called Mamakara pattu wrapped around them. The groom is made to sit on the manai (small stool) and the bride is then brought to the manai by her maternal uncles. The groom then ties the Kaluthiru which is the sacred thread symbolizing marriage. Nadaswaram is played throughout the ceremony and reaches a crescendo when tying the thread. Nowadays the thread is getting replaced with gold chains. Read on to understand the significance of this ritual:

Significance of Thirupootuthal Ritual in Tamil Chettiar Weddings
The Kaluthiru or the Chettiar wedding thali which is tied around the bride's neck carries a lot of significance. The Kaluthiru has two meanings while one means chain around the neck, the other Kaluth- Thiru symbolizes Lakshmi. Thiru means Goddess Lakshmi in Tamil. Usually, an auspicious time is fixed for this ritual to be conducted and Chettiar brides in Tamil Nadu keep their kaluthiru safe forever. 

What constitutes Kaluthiru?
Chettinad thali has a total of 34 items that are specifically handcrafted by artisans and is a double piece of chain with pendants. There are two pendants that carry images of Gods. One is that of Goddess Lakshmi who is the Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity and another of Meenakshi (Goddess Parvati) Sundareswaran (Lord Shiva) on top of the sacred bull called Rishaba. Both symbols play an important role in Chettinad weddings. It is believed that Goddess Lakshmi brings forth wealth while Lord Shiva and Parvati on top of the bull indicate a happy family.