Bring on the Kanjeevarams and the flowers. Waft into Tamilnadu, to the sound of the Nadaswaram and the chanting of the mantras. To a land which is the gateway to the south, to a people fiercely proud of their culture and heritage, to a language (Tamil) that has the distinction of being the oldest, living language in the world.
Time stands still
Tamilnadu is a lovely mixture of 'modern' and 'traditional'. Tamilians are quick to adapt to change but are also discerning in what they adopt.
They are also particular about what they hold on to.
To them, tradition is the binding force of the past, present and the future. They will never compromise on that. Nor will they settle for anything less when it comes to holding a wedding. There are very few instances of court weddings or hole and corner affairs.
A Tamilian, however modern, will have a traditional wedding-the full works-nothing less, nothing more.
Matchmaker, Matchmaker, make me a match!
A traditional wedding in Tamilnadu (as in other parts of the country) will only reach second stage if the jatakams (horoscopes) of the boy and the girl are a perfect match. The fate of a couple will depend largely on what the stars foretell and what the jyothidar (astrologer) makes of it.
The 'sacred' and 'auspicious' time (Muhurtam)
For most contemporary couples, the 'proper time to wed' is largely a matter of convenience.
A time when parents, relatives and friends can attend and be relaxed (weekends)
A time when the weather will be friendly (usually summer)
A time when temples/ churches will be available(usually a Saturday)
But.. all these considerations go flying out of the window if you decide to have a traditional wedding.
Come rain, thunder or lightening, if a time has been decided for your wedding as ordained by the divine stars and your respective horoscopes, no power on earth, least of all, you, will have the right to change the time of your wedding.
If it is a south Indian marriage, be prepared to wake up at three in the morning because your muhurtam can be at six a.m.
So, according to ancient traditional wisdom, establishing the correct time and date for a wedding is a bigger, more vital need than just deciding on what is a 'convenient' date.
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