Glossary
Wedding words, explained
49 terms you will hear at a Kerala or Indian wedding, from ashtamangalyam to walima.
Updated Kalyan Co Planning Team
A
- Ashtamangalyamഅഷ്ടമംഗല്യംKerala Hindu
- A tray of eight auspicious items, such as rice, a lamp, a mirror and flowers, carried in Kerala Hindu wedding ceremonies and processions.See also: Thalappoli, Nilavilakku
B
- BaraatNorth Indian
- The groom’s wedding procession to the venue, traditionally with music, dancing and the groom on a horse or in a decorated car.
C
- Chenda melamചെണ്ടമേളംKerala
- A Kerala percussion ensemble led by the chenda, a cylindrical drum played with sticks, with cymbals and wind instruments; played at temple festivals and weddings.See also: Panchavadyam, Nadaswaram
- Chingamചിങ്ങംCalendar
- The first month of the Malayalam calendar, from mid-August to mid-September, and one of Kerala’s most popular months for weddings.See also: Kollavarsham, Karkidakam
D
- Destination weddingPlanning
- A wedding held away from the couple’s home town, where most guests travel and stay for several days of functions.
F
- Fusion weddingPlanning
- A wedding that blends traditions from two cultures, such as Western vows and a first dance with an Indian garland exchange, mehndi and a sadya.
H
- HaldiPan-Indian
- A pre-wedding ritual in which family and friends apply a turmeric paste to the couple for blessings and a glowing complexion.See also: Mehndi
K
- Kalyana mandapamKerala
- A wedding hall, common across South India, built for large ceremonies and feasts.See also: Mandap (mandapam)
- KanyadanamPan-Indian
- The rite in which the bride’s father places her hand in the groom’s, a central moment of many Hindu weddings.
- Karkidakamകർക്കിടകംCalendar
- The last month of the Malayalam calendar, from mid-July to mid-August, traditionally avoided for Kerala Hindu weddings.See also: Chingam, Kollavarsham
- Kasavuകസവ്Kerala
- Kerala’s cream handloom cloth with a gold zari border, worn as a saree by women and as a mundu by men, especially at weddings and festivals.See also: Mundu, Mundum neriyathum
- Kettuvallamകെട്ടുവള്ളംKerala
- A traditional Kerala rice barge with a curved cane-and-thatch roof, now used as a houseboat on the backwaters.
- Kollavarshamകൊല്ലവർഷംCalendar
- The Malayalam calendar, a solar calendar whose year begins with the month of Chingam in mid-August.See also: Chingam
L
- LagnamCalendar
- The zodiac sign rising on the eastern horizon at a given moment; wedding muhurtham times are often chosen within a favourable lagnam.See also: Muhurtham (muhurat)
M
- Madhuram vekkalമധുരം വെക്കൽKerala Christian
- A Kerala Christian pre-wedding ceremony, usually the day before the wedding, in which relatives feed the bride or groom sweets as a blessing.
- MahrKerala Muslim
- A gift from the groom to the bride, agreed as part of the nikah, the Islamic marriage contract.See also: Nikah
- Manasammathamമനസ്സമ്മതംKerala Christian
- The Kerala Christian betrothal, held in church, in which the couple formally declare their consent to marry.
- Mandap (mandapam)Pan-Indian
- The canopied platform, often open-sided and decorated with flowers, under which a Hindu wedding ceremony takes place.
- Manthrakodiമന്ത്രകോടിKerala Christian
- A new saree blessed by the priest and draped over the bride by the groom during a Kerala Christian wedding.See also: Minnu
- MehndiPan-Indian
- Henna paste painted in patterns on the bride’s hands and feet before the wedding, and the relaxed party at which it is applied.See also: Mylanchi, Haldi
- Melmunduമേൽമുണ്ട്Kerala
- An upper cloth draped over one shoulder and worn with the mundu.See also: Mundu
- Minnuമിന്ന്Kerala Christian
- A small gold pendant, usually marked with a cross, that the groom ties around the bride’s neck in a Kerala Christian wedding.See also: Thali (thaali), Manthrakodi
- Muhurtham (muhurat)മുഹൂർത്തംमुहूर्तCalendar
- An auspicious time for a ceremony, chosen from the Hindu calendar using the tithi, nakshatra and other factors; Kerala weddings are timed to the muhurtham.See also: Tithi, Nakshatra, Panchangam (panchang)
- Munduമുണ്ട്Kerala
- A white or cream cloth wrapped and tucked at the waist, worn by men in Kerala; the gold-bordered kasavu mundu is worn at weddings.See also: Kasavu, Melmundu
- Mundum neriyathumമുണ്ടും നേര്യതുംKerala
- The traditional two-piece Kerala garment for women: a lower cloth (mundu) and an upper cloth (neriyathu) draped over the blouse.See also: Kasavu
N
- NadaswaramKerala
- A long double-reed wind instrument from South India, played at weddings and temple ceremonies, usually with the thavil drum.See also: Thavil, Chenda melam
- NakshatraCalendar
- One of the 27 lunar mansions, each spanning 13°20′ of the sky, used to describe where the Moon is; certain nakshatras are favoured for weddings.See also: Muhurtham (muhurat), Tithi
- NikahKerala Muslim
- The Islamic marriage contract, agreed in the presence of witnesses and an officiant; the essential ceremony of a Muslim wedding.See also: Mahr, Walima
- Nilavilakkuനിലവിളക്ക്Kerala
- A tall brass oil lamp with one or more tiers of wicks, lit to open auspicious occasions in Kerala, from weddings and housewarmings to public events.See also: Ashtamangalyam, Thalappoli
- NiraparaനിറപറKerala Hindu
- A wooden measure filled to the brim with paddy and placed beside the lamp at Kerala Hindu ceremonies as a sign of prosperity.
O
- Oppanaഒപ്പനKerala Muslim
- A Malabar Muslim wedding song and dance in which women sing and clap around the bride.See also: Mylanchi
P
- Panchangam (panchang)Calendar
- The Hindu almanac, which records five elements for each day: tithi, weekday, nakshatra, yoga and karana.See also: Tithi, Nakshatra, Muhurtham (muhurat)
- Panchavadyamപഞ്ചവാദ്യംKerala
- A Kerala temple orchestra of five instruments, four percussion and one wind, often played at grand arrivals.See also: Chenda melam
- PandalPan-Indian
- A temporary canopy built for a wedding or festival, traditionally from bamboo and woven coconut leaves, and often decorated with flowers at the entrance.
- PayasamപായസംKerala
- A sweet pudding of rice, lentils or vermicelli cooked with milk or coconut milk and jaggery; the dessert of a sadya.See also: Sadya
- Pheras (saptapadi)North Indian
- The rounds a Hindu couple take around the sacred fire, or seven steps taken together, which complete the marriage in many traditions.
- PudavaപുടവKerala Hindu
- A new cloth the groom gives the bride in many Kerala Hindu weddings; the giving itself is called pudavakoda.See also: Thali (thaali)
R
- Rahu kalamCalendar
- A daily period of about ninety minutes considered inauspicious for starting anything new, avoided when fixing ceremony times.See also: Muhurtham (muhurat)
S
- Sadyaസദ്യKerala
- A traditional Kerala feast of twenty or more vegetarian dishes served on a banana leaf in a set order, ending with payasam.See also: Payasam
- SangeetNorth Indian
- The music and dance night before an Indian wedding, when both families perform prepared dances and then everyone dances.
- Special Marriage Act, 1954Planning
- India’s civil marriage law, open to any two people regardless of religion or nationality; it requires notice to the local Marriage Officer and a 30-day notice period.
T
- Thalappoliതാലപ്പൊലിKerala Hindu
- A welcome in which girls or women carry brass plates (thalams) with lit lamps, rice and flowers to receive the groom or a guest of honour.See also: Ashtamangalyam
- Thali (thaali)താലിKerala Hindu
- The sacred pendant the groom ties around the bride’s neck; tying it, called thalikettu, is the central moment of a Kerala Hindu wedding.See also: Minnu, Muhurtham (muhurat)
- Tharavaduതറവാട്Kerala
- An ancestral family home in Kerala, traditionally shared by an extended family, often used for intimate weddings.
- ThavilKerala
- A barrel-shaped South Indian drum that accompanies the nadaswaram at weddings and temple ceremonies.See also: Nadaswaram
- TithiCalendar
- A lunar day: one thirtieth of the lunar month, measured as each 12° the Moon gains on the Sun. Weddings avoid certain tithis.See also: Nakshatra, Panchangam (panchang)
V
- Varmala (jaimala)North Indian
- The exchange of flower garlands between bride and groom, a joyful moment of many Indian weddings.
W
- WalimaKerala Muslim
- The wedding feast hosted by the groom’s family after the nikah.See also: Nikah
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