Engagement, before Nair Wedding.

                                    Engagement before Nair Wedding
                                                                         (mprnair)



            The Engagement is done imbibing the spirit of Vedic Culture. It consists of three phases:-

1-The Announcement.

Just before starting of the Muhurtha for Engagement, standing in front of the stage set for the function, the father of the Bride or the person authorized for the purpose, after welcoming the audience, should announce to the invitees that engagement for marriage is going to take place here, between (Bride’s name and Groom’s name) and then he should introduce the family of the Bride and Groom to the public, in detail.

2- Exchange of Birth Charts (Jathakam Koda)

After Aarathy at the Ganapathy orukku, the father of the bride and the father of the groom should sit face to face in the seats allotted for them, in front of the lighted lamp. Then, he should ask the relations and audience present there three times, “ Jathakam Kodukkatto”, and then handover the tray with the ‘Thalakkuri’ of his daughter (Bride) to the father of the Groom. After asking “ Jathakam Vangatto”, the father of the Groom, should get the tray with the Thalakkuri, from the father of the Bride. Then he can give his Son’s(Groom), Thalakkuri , in return, in the same way to the father of the Bride. Here ends the exchange of birth charts.

3-Ring Exchange (Mothiram Mattam)

Now, the Groom is escorted by thalppoli, melam, vaikkurava etc. to the Dias, and after getting the blessings of his dear ones, especially of his parents, he worships his Kula Devatha and Lord Ganapathy at the lighted lamp and the ‘orukku’ there, and sits at the place earmarked for him, leaving enough space on his left for the Bride to come and sit. The Bride is brought to the stage in the same way as the Groom is brought, and after getting blessings from her relations and dear ones and worshipping at the lamp, she sits in the place, reserved for her on the left-side of the Groom. Then, the father of the Groom gives the blessed Ring to him and he puts it on the left ring finger of the Bride. In return, she puts the blessed Ring given to her by her father, on the right ring finger of the Bride. People can now shower flowers on them in token of their joy and blessings. The Groom's mother, can then put kumkum on the Brides seemantha rekha.

Now, the father of the Bride or the person authorized for the purpose, should read the ‘Muhurtha Charthu’ for wedding, containing the details of the marriage such as the addresses of the Bride’s and the Groom’s families; date, time and place of marriage etc. He can also express his profound gratitude to the public in having come and blessed the function. He can also humbly request them to kindly share the Mahaprasad arranged for the function invariably before leaving.



                                                                          Subham”