Tale of The Sacred Thali
A Hindu marriage is not merely a celebration. It is actually the bonding of between two individuals that demands sacrifice, understanding, companionship, mutual love, and spiritual growth. There are various symbols, rituals and aspects associated with a Hindu marriage. One of the very important symbols is the thali, and the ritual is tying the thali.
The Thali
Thali. What is actually thali? Thali is the most important symbol in Hindu marriages. It is a traditional wedding chain that the bridegroom ties around the neck of the bride during the wedding ceremony. The groom ties three knots to the thali which symbolizes Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra. This thali is also known as Mangal Sutra and it has similar significance to the name commonly used for thali among people in South Indian community. Most prefer gold to threads when making a thali although the preference is specific to a region or community,or both. A simple orange-coloured thread sometimes replaces the gold, and a turmeric root, the pendant without losing the symbolic value of the thali. The thali is the only significance symbol that shows the difference between a material and an n unmarried woman.
According to Mr.Rajendran of Madras Jeweller, people do not prefer the readymade thali. Only specially trained goldsmith from India are allowed to make the thali, normally ordered two days before the wedding. A thali is ordered by the relatives of the groom; not by the groom himself. People choose the right time to place an order and to collect the thali before a wedding from the goldsmith. It is a common practice among the Indians for three sumangali women (married woman whose husbands are alive) to go and collect the thali from the goldsmith.
Ponnurukku
A significance of ponnurukku is slowly dwindling away; Mr.Rajendran says that only community which strongly follows the ceremony in Malaysia is the Ceylonese. Ponnurukku is a ceremony whereby the gold is melted to be made into a thali. It is a ceremony that should be followed by all the South Indian communities. During the ponnurukku, the groom’s relatives will be in the house. A goldsmith is called to the house to do the ceremony. The goldsmith will place the gold in a pot of milk and show it to all present for the ceremony, and then bring back the gold to the shop to make the thali.
Types of Thali
There are various types of thali and they come in different designs according to the generation. With 22 years of experience in the industry, Rajendran point out the five common thalis – Puliyar Thali, Thenakilai, Ramar Thali, Sivan Thali and the Lakshmi Thali. These tahlis are generally used by the south Indians. Nevertheless, sons bring the design of thali used by their mothers for their wives. As a goldsmith, Rajendran gets new designs for thali each and every day.
The Telugu, Malayalees and North Indians have their own types of thali. The Pottu Thali is used by the Andra people. They normally fix the thali in a black bead and wear it. It is shaped like a small bowl and there is a golden dot-like shape inscribed onto it in the middle.
Meanwhile, the Malayalees thali is based on two types – Naya thali Om thali (leaf thali).
Poosardaram Thali is used by the Muslims. The Muslims generally wear it with balck heads and Mangal Sutra. They also have the Cresent thali (not widely used now). Muslims who speak Urdu use thali known as Theekka Mangal Sutra.
The Catholics who follow the Indian culture tie the thali during the wedding. Their thali has a bird or cross in the center. It is tied by the groom to the bride’s neck during the wedding ceremony with the presence of a priest. The other names used by Christians for their thali are Pala Saram Thali, Round Mangal Sutra and Kaattin Uppal.
The North Indians’ Mangal Sutra is made of two strings of black beads with a locket or a pendant. The black bead signifies protection against evil powers. It does not follow any common design or pattern. It can vary from individuals and each has their own choice of Mangal Sutra.
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