An Australian in India – Part I Professor Vaughan Carr, Head of Mental Health of Hunter region, in the State of New South Wales in Australia, was recently on his first visit to India. Born on Christmas eve of 1948, at Adelaide, he was the only child of his parents. Incidentally, his mother was also […]
Continue reading…
Posts tagged with 'part'
South Indian Brahmins – The Iyengars – Part II
South Indian Brahmins – The Iyengars – Part II The philosophical, devotional cult propounded by Ramanujam can be called the pre-runner of the medieval Bhakti (devotional) movements in North and South India. Following Ramanujam, a spate of Bhakti schools and saints continued to attract the masses towards the God almighty through their devotional, philosophical writings. […]
Continue reading…
Kaliyur Iyengars – Part II
Kaliyur has been a great centre of Vedic Astrology. The Brahmins of Kaliyur have been uniformly well versed in astrology and are keepers of the most ancient astrological knowledge in the world. Almost all of them have been treated like the religious leaders and the astrological guides from time immemorial. Many Kaliyur Brahmin families have […]
Continue reading…
Kaliyur Iyengars – Part I
In the year 1840, a group of scholarly, Tengalai Iyengar Brahmins migrated from Mannargudi in Tanjavur and came to settle down in the village of Kaliyur near Cheyyar in North Arcot District. It is said that a plague like epidemic made people leave Mannargudi. Another reason attributed for this migration is the invasion of the […]
Continue reading…
Iyengar Marriage Rituals – Part Four
After taking the blessings, the couple must visit the family deity with a garland and worship the family gods. Following which the girl is taken to the house of the groom. An aarti is performed, with turmeric and limewater, for the couple, at the entrance of the house to ward off the evil eye. On […]
Continue reading…
Iyengar Marriage Rituals – Part Three
There are many interesting rituals, which take place during the Iyengar weddings. I have mentioned some of them here: Metti Metti is the silver toe ring worn traditionally by married women. It is one more outer symbol to signify that the woman is married apart from the ‘Thali’ the thread of marriage. During the ritual […]
Continue reading…
Iyengar Marriage Rituals – Part Two
Jaanavasam On the previous day of a marriage or on the same day the Jaanavasam or the bridegroom’s reception takes place. The bridegroom is taken around the streets of the town in an open luxury car in a procession. In the olden days he was taken around in a chariot. The procession is preceded by […]
Continue reading…
Iyengar Marriage – Part 1
The marriage rituals of the South Indian Brahmins are very interesting. Basically all the Brahmins in India perform Vedic Marriage Rites, which are similar throughout India. However, there are regional and local flavours. Kashmiri Pandit marriages are very elaborate and used to last a month with a lot of singing and rejoicing. Shorter versions of […]
Continue reading…