Mappillai Azahaippu is a ritual conducted in weddings to welcome the Nadar grooms.
- On the day of the marriage in Tamil Nadar Weddings, a puja ceremony is conducted in a temple close to the groom's house to seek blessings from God for a successful marriage.
- The groom is taken in a procession that ends at the wedding Mandap. Earlier, the procession used to happen on a horse or an elephant but these days procession happens in a special car called the Janavasam car. This car is an open car which is decorated with flowers. The bridegroom is usually accompanied by the kids in the family.
- This Mappillai Azahaippu Ritual was done in Tamil weddings to show-off the groom to the people in the village so that if there were any objections to the marriage, they could be raised.
- Once the procession gets completed and the groom and his relatives reach the wedding venue the bride's family is already present to welcome them.
- The bride's brother welcomes the groom into the Mandap and to the family
- The musical band arranged by the bride’s side will play the Nadaswaram when the groom gets garlanded.
- The bride's brother garlands him and then he is escorted inside the hall.
- Two married women perform 'aarti' to prevent any negativities that may arise thereby disrupting the marriage.
After the 'Aarti' the bride's father garlands the groom and the parents then welcome the groom's parents and relatives with great warmth, respect, and excitement. The groom then proceeds for the next set of rituals.