Mudaliyars are born leaders and take their responsibilities very seriously. They are a loving community where ceremonies are conducted as per age-old traditional rituals. The Tamil Mudaliyar wedding is full of rituals and customs that bring the entire families together.

What Happens in Nitchayathartham Pre-Wedding Ritual in a Tamil Mudaliyar Wedding?
Nitchayathartham or engagement is a function that takes place before the wedding. Once the two families have decided to continue with the alliance, they agree upon a date to perform the engagement. The families invite their close relatives and friends to be present during this function. It is a very interesting one where there are certain engagement rituals to be followed. The groom's family comes to the engagement venue bearing a gift for the bride and her family. There are 21 large plates which are filled with gifts. These include sarees, jewellery, fruits, dry fruits, flowers, sugar, turmeric, betel leaves, coconut, nuts, traditional snacks, sweets, etc. It is a symbol of love and prosperity on behalf of the groom’s family.

The main part of the ceremony is when the families exchange the horoscopes of the bride and groom. They then fix a convenient date for the wedding. The reading of horoscopes or Lagna Pathrikkai is a formal method of announcing the date and informing the guests of the wedding. Followed by this is the ritual known as Thambulam Matruthal. Here the bride's family offers valuable gifts to the groom's side. A marriage agreement is signed, they proceed to have a lavish feast and end the festivities of the day. The remaining days will be spent on taking care of the arrangements required for the wedding.