Saturday, September 18, 2010

Wedding at Rameswaram

Wedding at Rameswaram



Last week was an unexpected sudden trip to Rameswaram for my second cousin’s wedding. My sister Jayashree was supposed to accompany my parents but she could not make it and hence I travelled with them. As soon as we reached Rameswaram on Saturday morning, we were put in rooms in the Goswami Madam. The wedding hall was diagonally opposite the Goswami Madam. I was asked to help the bride’s maternal aunt in doing the make up for the bride. It was good fun to get the bride ready. The bride, Gayatri, is just out of college and it was nice and refreshing to see a very young bride and groom.

Saturday morning was Vratham and Naandhi. The part I liked most was meeting up with many of my mother’s cousins for the first time.


 The breakfast and lunch was excellent. Post lunch we rested in our rooms and got ready by 4 pm for the jaanavasam. After a long long time, I witnessed a full fledged jaanavasam with the maapillai made to sit in a decorated vehicle and the procession went around all the four maada veedhis of the temple.



 It took more than two hours with lot of crackers, band, naadaswaram and dancing. The lady who danced most was the bride’s mother and of course a lot of young boys.



 It was endearing to see the groom being greeted with aarathi in front of many households in the four maada veethis. Both the bride and groom are from Rameswaram and practically known to all in the town. The procession stopped in front of the Goswami Madam where the bride was waiting. It continued with both the bride and the groom in the vehicle to the wedding hall for Nischayadartham.




This completed the functions of the first day and after another heavy meal, we came back to our rooms for a big gossip session with my mother’s cousins and their families. Finally all retired to get up by 5 am on Sunday morning for the Muhurtham. Muhurtham started with Kasi Yathirai followed by maalai maatral and then oonjal.




After oonjal, the bride and groom came inside the hall. Next was the most poignant moment of a wedding - kanya dhanam preceding the thaali tying ceremony and the saptapadhi




The hall was packed with most of the town people inside. All the elders heaved a sigh of relief that everything went off well!


8 comments:

  1. Bravo,Lakshmi! You have made us 'enjoy; the wedding with your photos & description!Did not Ranga come?
    D' Thatha & Chithi

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  2. What pics and video, Lak. Superb post! The collages are just great, especially the one with all of our relatives. :)

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  3. Nice post with very good pictures giving the salient features of the marriage ceremony.It is only on such occasions we get to meet our distant relatives whom we do not meet normally and exchange notes.

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  4. Wow!!! A very nice trip to Rameswaram Lakshmi! Chandra.Virtually, we have also enjoyed the wedding.

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  5. Wow Lakshmi.... first time to ur blog... oru Kalyanatha romba beautiful aa describe panirkel...:) kudos... Now I am waiting for a wedding to happen in our family...:) Weddings r so much fun naa?

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  6. You have a gift for writing: your descriptions are short, yet interesting. You didn't mention one of the most important things: what dishes were served in the feast? Traditional elai pota saappaadu, or modern plates? :) S

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  7. beautiful.
    tradition.
    soulfilling.
    ancient.
    blissful.
    colorful.
    blessedness.
    continuity.
    Soul Union.


    that is what life is all about:)

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  8. Can u plss get me details to my email id sayan.hazra@gmail.com on whats the procedure to get married in rameshawaram temple itself. Pls share contact details of concerned authority if u know

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