Main Piece: After the ceremony starts, a lot of women from the grooms side walk in, holding a brand new sari. The bride takes the sari, leaves, and comes back dressed in the new sari.
Informant Background:
What does it mean: The bride being welcomed into the groom’s family with this garment of clothing they give to her. She is now part of a new family. She’s a new woman.
Where did you learn it: I learned at a wedding that I went to in Canada about a year ago.
What does it mean toyou: It does not mean much to me, it seems to be a tradition that would be more heavily valued amongst the women of both sides of the family.
Context of Performance: Wedding
My Thoughts: It was mentioned by Arjuna in response to a previous wedding custom that the Indian society is so anti-feminist. However, I think that while the society can be identified as Patriarchal, customs such as these show that women are still very heavily valued and respected. A large group of the welcoming family coming with a brand new outfit to welcome their addition to their family is representative of the amount of love she will be given from the family and from the family members. All the women coming with the Sari also shows how many lives her entrance into the family is impacting and how many people are looking to welcome her.
Main Piece: The gold necklace that the bride has to wear, it is tied around her neck during the ceremony. The husband uses his own gold and his goldsmith to make it.
Informant Background:
What is it: It is equal in symbolism as the wedding ring. It can often be passed down from generation to generation. My father gave my mom his Mom’s Thalli. It’s also supposed to be the most valuable thing that the wife owns. It is the most important part of the ceremony. For example, when my parents got divorced, she had to give her Thalli back to my father.
Where did you learn it: I learned about it from my mom when she talked about how she had to give it back. I noticed it before at weddings, but I never understood the importance of it.
What does it mean to you: Doesn’t really mean anything to me. I guess I can give a Thalli to my wife if I have an Indian wedding.
Context of Performance: Wedding
My Thoughts:
There is a very similar thing in Gujarati weddings, and other Mainland Indian weddings referred to as “Mangal Sutras.” I find it interesting that a similar exchange of Jewelry, usually being given to the bride by the groom, in so many different types of weddings: Mangal Sutras, Thallis, Wedding Rings. I do no, however, think that the root of Wedding Rings and Thallis are the same source – it seems to me to be a very interesting coincidence. Thallis and Mangal Sutras, however, I could believe to have similar sources considering how similar the two are.
Main Piece: Sri Lankan Wedding Ritual: The Mappillai Thozhn
Informant Background:
What is it: Younger male relative of the bride is a “second groom.” He dresses up in the same outfit as the groom, walks in with the groom, sits with the married couple, and is just as important as the groom.
Where did you learn it: One day my grandma and cousins were joking. I have two older cousins that are females, and they joked that I would be the Mappillai Thozhn at their wedding, and after they explained to me what it was, I noticed at the next wedding I went to, that there was a young boy sitting alongside the groom wherever he went.
Why is is practiced? I don’t know the exact meaning, but the way I interpret it, it’s sort of a giving away meaning. Rather than the father giving the daughter away, it is sort of like the brother giving his sister away.
What does it mean to you: I think it’s kind of cute, but I also think it’s a symbol how oddly anti feminist an Indian society can be – a symbol of one man giving away a woman to another man.
Context of Performance: Wedding
My Thoughts: While Arjuna mentioned Indian society as antifeminist, it can be seen, through several of the other Sri Lankan Wedding Folklore that have been collected, that there is also a strong value and respect given to women and the sacrifice they are expected to make. This is an interesting practice though, I have never heard of such a practice – usually the groom is the most important man of the night, however here the brides brother is being seen given equal importance. Much like Arjuna said, it is symbolic that she is transferring from the protection of one man to another. In Indian culture, even the younger brother is expected to protect his sister. I’m sure this is also an empowering moment for the young boy as well – his older sister who has been taking care of him as well is leaving, and he is to step up and give her away.
Main Piece: The restless ghost of a deceased person is believed to come back to the earth looking like a human but with feet facing backwards
Informant Background:
What is it: Folklore about what a ghost wandering on earth looks like.
Where did you learn it: my grandmother
What does it mean to you: There isn’t much meaning behind this for me; it is, however, scary. I believe in ghosts, so having such beliefs backed with folklore from my grandmother further motivates my fear. Having an image as to visualize these ghosts’ helps to make the belief seem more real.
My Thoughts:
There are an endless number of folklore that encompass ghosts and ghosts stories. While there is not any major religious support in the belief of ghosts, it is a very widespread belief, and caters to the fear and belief in the unknown that humans naturally have.
What is it: A general category of Tamilian paintings that depict gods or goddesses and use bright vivid colors. These paintings are done on wood panels and include sheets of gold foil and sometimes even semi-precious stones.
Where did you learn it: My aunt
What does it mean to you: My aunt taught me about the significance of Tanjore paintings in that creating them takes many, many hours and the reason that gold and stones are used is to reflect the respect and devotion that deities have on the gods and goddesses they look up to. The materials used are a way to just barely scratch the surface in depicting how majestic the idols are.
Context of Performance
Art form paying respect to gods and goddesses.
My Thoughts:
India is a strong hub for fine arts. The Indian culture is rich with many classical and folk forms of dance and music. It is not shocking that another form of art transcended the generations and was handed down from one generation to the next, as aesthetic beauty is very valuable in the Indian culture.
