<p>At least one species of a politically-blessed mass wedding comes with no bride price in Tamil Nadu.<br /><br /></p>.<p>This spectacle unfolded when 1,006 couples from economically weaker sections tied the knot in a huge ‘pandal’ near the Karumari Amman Temple at suburban Tiruverkadu on Monday, under the auspices of the State Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) Department.</p>.<p>From the four-gram gold ‘mangalsutra’, silver rings to the brides, the bridal dress to 21 other basic paraphernalia, including stainless steel utensils and brass oil lamps to auspiciously set up a new home, everything came free from the State for these couples entering wedlock.<br /><br />As the AIADMK supremo and Chief Minister J Jayalalitha took centre stage, with all the gift articles on splendid display on one side and ‘Vedic Pundits’ performing a common ‘yagna’ on the other side, there was the anxious wait for the auspicious moment, fixed between 9.30 to 10.29 am.<br /><br /> The couples in their bridal attire were seated in blocs, district-wise with the corresponding Minister in-charge lending a hand and keeping a watchful eye. Elaborate arrangements were made for the past few days to accommodate the relatives of all the would-be couples in nearby ‘Mandaps’.<br /><br />Around 9.40 am, as the ‘mela-taal’ and ‘nagaswaram’ music reached a crescendo, Jayalalitha blessed all the ‘mangalsutras’ with her touch, after which the respective Ministers reached them to the couples. ‘Amma’ then showered the couples with flowers and saffron-rice as the bridegrooms tied the ‘Thali’ on their respective brides.<br /><br />Contrary to the ‘self-respect marriages’ which the Dravidian political tradition consciously fostered over the decades - eschewing all Vedic rituals and priests - this wedding format seemed a happy blend of both the ‘Vedic’ and the ‘Dravidian’ ceremonial elements.</p>
<p>At least one species of a politically-blessed mass wedding comes with no bride price in Tamil Nadu.<br /><br /></p>.<p>This spectacle unfolded when 1,006 couples from economically weaker sections tied the knot in a huge ‘pandal’ near the Karumari Amman Temple at suburban Tiruverkadu on Monday, under the auspices of the State Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) Department.</p>.<p>From the four-gram gold ‘mangalsutra’, silver rings to the brides, the bridal dress to 21 other basic paraphernalia, including stainless steel utensils and brass oil lamps to auspiciously set up a new home, everything came free from the State for these couples entering wedlock.<br /><br />As the AIADMK supremo and Chief Minister J Jayalalitha took centre stage, with all the gift articles on splendid display on one side and ‘Vedic Pundits’ performing a common ‘yagna’ on the other side, there was the anxious wait for the auspicious moment, fixed between 9.30 to 10.29 am.<br /><br /> The couples in their bridal attire were seated in blocs, district-wise with the corresponding Minister in-charge lending a hand and keeping a watchful eye. Elaborate arrangements were made for the past few days to accommodate the relatives of all the would-be couples in nearby ‘Mandaps’.<br /><br />Around 9.40 am, as the ‘mela-taal’ and ‘nagaswaram’ music reached a crescendo, Jayalalitha blessed all the ‘mangalsutras’ with her touch, after which the respective Ministers reached them to the couples. ‘Amma’ then showered the couples with flowers and saffron-rice as the bridegrooms tied the ‘Thali’ on their respective brides.<br /><br />Contrary to the ‘self-respect marriages’ which the Dravidian political tradition consciously fostered over the decades - eschewing all Vedic rituals and priests - this wedding format seemed a happy blend of both the ‘Vedic’ and the ‘Dravidian’ ceremonial elements.</p>
