3rd February - Wedding Day - Part IV

Ammi Midhithal, Sapthapathi, and Pori

Symbolically, after the Mangalyadharanam, the bride’s parents step back from center stage, and the groom assumes a more prominent role in the rituals that follow.

The next significant ceremony was Ammi Midhithal—where the bride places her feet on a grindstone after circumambulating the sacred fire three times. This act symbolizes stability and strength in her new life. As Priya stepped on the ammi (grindstone), Priya's mami Radha adorned her toes with metti (silver toe rings), marking her formal entry into married life.

This was followed by the Sapthapathi, the seven sacred steps taken by the bride and groom around the agni (holy fire). With each step, the vadhyars recited mantras signifying the couple’s bond across the seven essential aspects of life: Strength, Prosperity, Sustenance, Happiness, Seasons, Offspring, and Lifelong Companionship.

The final important ritual was the offering of pori (puffed rice) into the fire. In this, Priya’s brother Rohan played a significant role, symbolizing the bride’s family’s blessings and continued presence in her life even after marriage.

To conclude the spiritual aspects of the wedding, Sanjiv performed a brief homam—a thanksgiving ritual—signifying the completion of the wedding rites and seeking divine blessings for their life ahead.

Asirvadhams

With the primary wedding rituals now completed, it was time for the aasirvadhams—formal blessings offered by friends, relatives, elders, and most notably, by temples and other religious institutions to whom wedding invitations had been sent in advance.

The vadhyars began reading out the blessings sent by these revered institutions. Many had sent special tokens of goodwill such as ornate garlands or shawls to be presented to the newlyweds as a mark of divine benediction.

Taking a cue from this, guests in the hall began forming an informal queue on one side of the stage to greet and bless the couple and their parents. Though not a pre-planned stage event, this spontaneous reception-like sequence unfolded gracefully. Interestingly, since the families of Suresh and Srini had not arranged a formal reception, many guests initially assumed this was a coordinated plan they had simply not been informed about!

Despite its impromptu nature, the session came together seamlessly. There were light moments of playful chatter on stage, lots of group photographs, and genuine expressions of joy. When the family later went through the photo collection, it felt refreshingly novel. Unlike typical reception photos—where the couple and their families are clad in formal Indian or Western attire—here, Sanjiv and Priya, along with their parents, looked resplendent in traditional wedding wear: madisar for the women and panchakacham for the men. The images beautifully captured the spirit of tradition and celebration.

This session concluded with the customary aarti, symbolizing divine protection and a joyful closure to the public ceremonies.

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