Pre-Wedding Rituals in Tamil Nadar Weddings - Pen Parthal Padalam

A Tamil Nadar wedding is full of traditional splendour and joyful get-togethers. They are a community that believes strongly in holding their customs and rituals close to the heart. There are no shortcuts in any of the wedding rituals. The Nadar caste rituals have a significant meaning and importance in the life of the new couple. All these rituals are strictly followed with prayers and blessings all the way. 

Highlights of Pen Parthal Padalam Ritual in Tamil Nadar Weddings
Once a girl in the Nadar community attains the age of marriage, her parents start looking for a prospective groom. They get in touch with marriage brokers, wedding planners and other relatives. The word of mouth is also a reliable means of finding a suitable groom. The aim behind such an elaborate search is to get a groom from a suitable family. A Tamil wedding is seen as the union among two families. So the elder generation plays a very important role in selecting suitable partners for their children.  The close relatives of the groom meet the bride and her family first. If they consider the match to be suitable for both sides, they proceed in checking the astrological match between the new couple. This is a mandatory step in Nadar weddings. 

If the horoscopes also match, then, the relatives fix an auspicious date to come and see the girl. This function is called the Pen Parthal Padalam. Pen Parthal Padalam literally means the journey to see the girl. It takes place mainly in a nearby temple or any other public place. The girl is dressed in fine traditional wear, mostly a saree with beautiful jewellery. This is also a custom to show the prosperity of the bride's family. Once the meeting goes well and the couple likes each other, the relatives start discussions on the further proceedings.

All the rituals are followed strictly so that the couple will have a blessed and prosperous life ahead. The Nadar community gives their support and showers lots of love onto the new couple.

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Tamil Nadar Pre-Wedding Rituals Pen Parthal Ritual