Agni, the god of fire, is central to most Hindu rites. Tradition has it that marriages be solemnized in his presence. Here he stands as the universal witness to the union. – Agni Chaatchi. accompanied by the Tholan and Tholi, the bride and groom take their first steps as man and wife to walk clockwise three times around the sacred fire to pay their respect to Agni, the representative of the gods. Certain rituals are performed while going around the fire.
At the end of the first round,Sapthapadi, taking seven steps facing north, is performed indicating the seven stages in the spiritual evolution of man and woman, after which the groom takes the right foot of his bride and places it on a granite stone, Ammi Mithithal, and slips a Minji, a silver ring, on her secondtoe, indicating she be as strong and steadfast as the stone in the face of adversity. On completing the second round the groom slips a second Minji on the second toe of her left foot. Arunthathi Paarthai at this stage is the groom showing the bride the star Arunthathi. It is significant that Arunthathi, wife of the referred sage Vashistar, virtuous, chaste and devoted, was placed among the stars to be a model for all, both man and woman, to emulate.
At this moment the groom also is reminded that he remains chaste and faithful. This the priest does by drawing his attention to a muslin wrapped green branch of a Mulmurukku, a tree with a myriad of oval thorns (here substituted by a stick) planted in a clay pot in front of the Manavarai. The thorns signifies the thousand eyed spectacle, Indra, the King of Heaven, was transformed into by the curse of sage Gautama for Indra’s tryst with the beautiful Ahaliha, the sages wife. This is a grim reminder of the price Indra paid for his indiscretion. Ahaliha turned by her husband’s curse into a stone for her infidelity regains her human form purified and resplendent when the divine Rama, on his way to Mithila, treads on it. This is the significancve of Ammi Mithithai, the couple performed when they first circled the Omum.
Mothiram Eduthal or finding the ring contest between the bride and the groom comes at the end of the third round. This provides for a lighter moment eliciting giggles and chuckles as fingers play and flounder for the ring in the privacy of the pot.
Next, the couple perform the Poorna Ahuthi which is the offering of grains, honey and fruits to the gods through their representative Agni, in attendance as Omum, the sacred fire, imploring them to bless and render their wedlock holy.
At the end of the first round,Sapthapadi, taking seven steps facing north, is performed indicating the seven stages in the spiritual evolution of man and woman, after which the groom takes the right foot of his bride and places it on a granite stone, Ammi Mithithal, and slips a Minji, a silver ring, on her secondtoe, indicating she be as strong and steadfast as the stone in the face of adversity. On completing the second round the groom slips a second Minji on the second toe of her left foot. Arunthathi Paarthai at this stage is the groom showing the bride the star Arunthathi. It is significant that Arunthathi, wife of the referred sage Vashistar, virtuous, chaste and devoted, was placed among the stars to be a model for all, both man and woman, to emulate.
At this moment the groom also is reminded that he remains chaste and faithful. This the priest does by drawing his attention to a muslin wrapped green branch of a Mulmurukku, a tree with a myriad of oval thorns (here substituted by a stick) planted in a clay pot in front of the Manavarai. The thorns signifies the thousand eyed spectacle, Indra, the King of Heaven, was transformed into by the curse of sage Gautama for Indra’s tryst with the beautiful Ahaliha, the sages wife. This is a grim reminder of the price Indra paid for his indiscretion. Ahaliha turned by her husband’s curse into a stone for her infidelity regains her human form purified and resplendent when the divine Rama, on his way to Mithila, treads on it. This is the significancve of Ammi Mithithai, the couple performed when they first circled the Omum.
Mothiram Eduthal or finding the ring contest between the bride and the groom comes at the end of the third round. This provides for a lighter moment eliciting giggles and chuckles as fingers play and flounder for the ring in the privacy of the pot.
Next, the couple perform the Poorna Ahuthi which is the offering of grains, honey and fruits to the gods through their representative Agni, in attendance as Omum, the sacred fire, imploring them to bless and render their wedlock holy.