MARRIAGE CEREMONY IN THALASSERY

Thanzeela p

Marriage ceremony of thalassery muslims deals with many function and occassions. Here, we are going to discuss about a girl side marriage.

It starts with the enquiry of the brides family about the grooms family background. If they like it they will proceed it by the first step

PENKETTU

This is the first occassion of the ceremony. In this only male members are participated. This will be held in grooms house. Father and uncle of the bride will go to grooms house and they will have the talk of both bride and groom.  The photo of the bride will be given to groom. With this the function ends.

PENNKANAL

This is the second occassion of the ceremony. This will be solemnized only when the boy comes to the brides house with his friends .This is a function held in brides house. This is a function held in brides house.The girl will be dressed upwell and shown to the boy. Both bride and groom will be permitted to talk together. The groom and his friends will be provided with juices. If the groom likes the girl the grooms mother and sister will come to seeher another day.

ENGAGEMENT [VALAYIDAL]

This is the third function of the ceremony which occurs in brides house .The girl will be dressed like a mini bride. All the members of the groom will come to the function. Many types of food will be provided to them. The groom’s family will give some dressess,ornaments and chocolates and phone to the girl. With this the function ends.

NISHCHAYAM [DATE FIXING]

This is the fourth occassion of the ceremony. This will be held in grooms house. Girl father and other important men of both bride and groom family will attend the eve. The main thing is that they will fix the date of the merriage. They will provided food.

ARIKUTHICHERAL

This is the fifth main function of the ceremony. This is normally held in Friday. This function has an importantce thatthis will be seen only in thalassery. Also this is the functon were only female members are participated. This function starts with the noon meal. The girl will be dressed up like an old muslim lady. The dress is called as kachi and mundu. The custom is there will be an olakkaand uralto beat rice. The bride will take olakka and hit on ural. There will be mini party for relatives in the afternoon. Tonight the girl will put mehandi her hands and legs. With this the day is ends.

MYLANCHI [MEHANDI]

The occassion will be held on Saturday night. Relative will come in the afternoon itself. But the programm is on night. Rice,sugar, ghee and onion will be given from fathers house armty’s house. Fathers family will dress the bride. The custom is that in both of the brides hand leaf will be kept and all will put mehandis in the leaf and photos will be taken. Besides that all girls will sing the songs. By this night the bedroom of the bride should be ready. Late night of this day some people from groom house comes and took the ornaments,bedroom and dresssof the bride. After tea and snacks they will go back. With this the day ends.

MARRIAGE[NIKAH]

This is the main day of the ceremony. The girl will be dressed up by sister’s husband family. Photo will be taken. All will be given food. All the male members of bride faily will go to the masjid and the nikkah will be solemnized. Mulaqat session will be there. Some people of bride family will go to groom house to pick the the groom. Groom will be welcomed like a prince in bride house. Groom will be worned a maala and given a boquette. The groom will be directed to the bedroom and photos will be taken with friends. The bride will be coming from another room to the bed room with girls around singing song

“Sabhayellam Anuvadham

Thara venam namukkippol

Chamayicha puthunari itha pokunne....”

Brides uppuma or karnavar will guide the bride to enter the bedroom. The bride groom will put inside the room above 5 minutes. The groom will give money to the bride. The door will be locked. After 5 minutes the door will be unlocked and one of the uppitha of the bride will come and put the mahar. The mother of the bride come with milk and will give to groom and bride. Photos will be taken. Groom will go back home with two children from bride house. Some female members of the groom family will come with these children to bride house and they will dress up the bride. They will be provided tea and snacks. They will take the bride with them to grooms house also bride family. They will be given tea and snacks. Photo session will be there. Two children will stay with the bride in grooms house and the rest will come back. Some male members from bride family will go to the grooms house tonight and they will pick up the bride groom from there. The box given from groom house will be put in the dicki of the car. They will go to brides house.The groom will be provided food. The girl will be again dressed and the bride groom will be put into the bedroom . The dayend with this. The boy will give a ring to the bride inside bedroom. It is called “Thottamodiram”

AFTER MARRIAGE

Here comes the flow of functions.From the first day itself after marriage function will be organized.

ALIYANKANJI

The brides brother and male faculties will have a party in groom house. Many types of food will be there. The brother will be given“kanji”in a bowl.This is why this custom named. 

KOOTI KONDAKKAL

This is a function held in grooms house. This will be for the first time the girls mother visiting the pyappala home. Many female members also will participate in the program. Many food will be there. The girl will stay in grooms house. With this the program ends. The program named because the girl was sent to pyapala house.

KOOTTIKONDERAL

The bride will be brought back to her house by groom family. They will have food there. The grooms mother comes to brides house and he will be given sadhya. With this the program ends.

11th DAY

The pyapala will give money to buy fish. This is called “Meen paisa”. This is for the first time pyapala will be provided with fish. Many other food will be there.

40^th DAY

This day 40 types of ‘Ada’ will be present. Children from grooms house will come and many food will be there. The pyapala will give money to bride. It is called “chelavu paisa”. One boy will be dressed up like a girl and send infront of pyapala. And there begins the tradition. This boy will say

“ Pyapale............

Illayum thinnu, Idtham poyachu,

Adayum thinnu, Adangikko pyapale.....”

Besides this there will be parties for friends of the pyapala.

Thakkaram from every family members etc.....

Besides mahar the girl will get ornaments from grooms family members and her own family

With this the ceremony ends.........