Tamil Vanniyar Kula Kshatriyar Community takes pride in following their traditional customs and rituals at every occasion. In the earlier days, the weddings were a three to six days ceremony with elaborate rituals and numerous functions. Now, due to time constraints, the number of days has reduced and is limited to 1-2 days. However, all the important rituals are still being followed with the same integrity.
What is Fixing the Marriage Ritual in Tamil Vanniyar Kula Kshatriyar Weddings ?
One of the main pre-wedding rituals is fixing the marriage. Even today, the word of mouth is the commonly used method to get a good alliance between two families. Social gatherings and common functions are a venue to get acquainted and get familiar with other members of the community. These occasions are also being utilised to search for a prospective groom or bride. Relatives and friends play a major role in fixing a marriage between two families. Other modern-day facilities are also used to arrange marriages.
The marriage is normally fixed only after getting the consent of the elders in Vanniyar kula Sathriyan caste category. They consider a wedding to be a union of two families while bringing together the bride and groom to start a new life. Tamil Oduvars or Brahmin priests are the main people responsible for conducting the rituals. Before fixing a marriage, all aspects like financial security, matching of horoscopes, family status, strong family relations, education and profession, etc. are looked into by both sides. In an arranged marriage, normally the bride and groom are introduced to each other in a formal meeting after all the other conditions have been met appropriately. This shows the trust placed in the elders of the family by the younger generation. Of course, the wedding will take place only after the approval is sought from the to-be bride and groom.
After the marriage is fixed, both families begin the preparations for all the rituals and festivities to be followed. These rituals also help the bride and groom to get to know each other better.
