Oonjal – A Tamil Iyer Weddings Ritual

Tamil Iyer Weddings are always a treat to the eyes! Theirs is a wedding with many days of celebrations, spreading across many rituals for the couple and their family. A Tamil Iyer wedding promises to be wedding experience that nobody, including the bride, groom, family and guests, will ever forget!

A symbolic ritual in Iyer weddings is the ‘Oonjal’. Dating back to the earliest of centuries, the Oonjal has become a part of the Iyer weddings. In the ritual, after the Kasi Yaatra, the couple is seated on a beautiful adorned swing, decorated with flowers and ornaments and is swung back and forth. The swing symbolizes the strength that the couple has to find in each other during rocky times.

Elder  women of the family take turns to go around the couple, singing songs and blessing them. The atmosphere turns merry with the hyms of the Laali Laali songs. The women then bend to touch the feet of the couple and smear their feet with a mixture of milk and sandalwood paste. The couple, among much merriment, is fed bananas, sugar and milk.

The Oonjal keeps rocking and the bride and groom is not allowed to touch their feet on the ground. As they swing in karmic divinity, the elder relatives throw red and yellow coloured rice balls onto them in four different directions.

Then the groom takes the bride’s hand in his in a particular fashion and leads her for the Kanya Dhanam.

Tamil Iyer weddings are one of South-India’s most joyous celebrations, and the Oonjal is the main ingredient to bring life to this event.

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