The art of making Murukku

The art of making Murukku

Seer murukku is an important item in Tamil weddings. During the wedding many sweets and savoury items are given by the bride’s family to the groom’s and murukku with five or seven rounds (concentric circles) have a prime place.  At the Rameswaram wedding, after Nischayadartham, along with all the seer, murukku made in different patterns were displayed. I was so impressed by the display that I did a mini interview with the lady who had made them. This lady, Mrs K J Amirthavalli, is from Madurai and says that she has been doing seer bakshanam for marriages on a contract for a long time.

 

She had made these beautifully shaped murukkus for this wedding with so much interest more because both the bride and groom’s family were personally known to her.

There were murukkus made in the shape of sari, veshti (dhoti), bag, an animal, baskets, cup, betel leaves, banana, flowers, kolams, lamp and what not. There were also the regular round shaped ones with the name of the bride and groom written in English and Tamil.  She so innocently asked me if she had spelt the names right! Though she does not do all the seer sweets and savouries for weddings any more, I am sure she will do this kind of murukku for weddings on order.

 

1. Sari & Dhoti                               

2. Basket

3. Flower

4. Cup

5. Kolam

6.Lamp

7. One more basket

 8. One more Kolam

9. Another flower

10. Leaf

 11. Betel leaves, betel nut and banana
For betel nut she has used coffee powder made into a paste!

12. Bridegroom's name

13. Bride's Name

14. Mirror

 15.Hand fan

 16. Bride's name in Tamil

17. Bridegroom's name in Tamil

18. Floral pattern

 19. Animal