Hindu wedding in Sri Lanka is a celebration very much related to religious tradition, extremely colourful and full of music. It is not just the act of uniting two people, but also their families and a large group of friends. The rites and rituals are firmly rooted in the religious tradition and refer to the divine pattern of an ideal marriage.
Many of the rituals start just a few days before, but the main one is exactly when the planets are especially favourable for the young couple by the young. Three weddings were held simultaneously during my visit at the Vallipuram Temple in the north of Sri Lanka. Probably, the planets were especially favourable not only for the newlyweds but also for us.
From a distance, I had heard a distinctive Tamil music. It was announcing some unusual celebration. I did not suppose I would take part in a Hindu wedding in Sri lanka. The first impression was a striking amount of colour. Ladies dressed in traditional sari in all colours of the rainbow, richly decorated with gold ornaments, looked very beautiful. I was impressed by what I was saw and I realized that I took a sit on the male side, not female. However, it was not a problem for anyone, and I was welcomed with inviting gestures.
At the central place, the groom was sitting, and waiting for his bride and before him there was the priest, the chief master of ceremony. The bride with a veil on her head was introduced after a few rituals purifying her future husband.
The priest performed many rites to ensure the safety of the new relationship using fruit, leaves and fire. An inherent element of every wedding is a gift from the groom for his bride, which is a sari and a gold necklace, meaning long-term love.
Two people are considered husband and wife when they exchange flower garlands, accepting each other as a partner.
The ceremony ended with the putting two wedding rings … on the toes of the bride’s legs. One symbolizes a strong foundation of life and the other is a sign of her new civil status.
During the ceremony drinks and very sweet snacks where distributed. I tried, them and I was even invited to a wedding reception.
It was a pity that I could not participate in the further celebration, because it was necessary for me to move on. However, the temple at Vallipuram will be forever on my mind as a beautiful ceremony of Hindu wedding in Sri Lanka which was full of unusual rituals, but the music … well … for various reasons, it is impossible to forget.
Vallipuram Alvar Vishnu Kovil, where the ceremony took place, is located a few kilometres from Point Pedro, the northernmost point of Sri Lanka. It is one of the oldest Hindu temples on the island and is dedicated to God Vishnu. At the turn of August and September, numerous processions take place during the festival dedicated to the patron of the temple.
