Wedding at a Hindu Temple 3

Tying the 'thali' is the most important part of a Hindu wedding ceremony, but that is not the end of a traditional ceremony...

The ceremony is followed by the exchange of garlands. 

(In the 1980s, an exchange of garlands by a couple in front of the statue of a Hindu deity constitutes a legally binding marriage in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.  I don't know if that statute has since been changed.)

 

 

After the exchange the couple have to go around the sacred flame or Agni.

After the second round, they were stopped by the priest.

 

The priest requested the bride to place her right foot on the grinding stone.

 

  

The groom had to wash her feet with water followed by milk.  Then he had to put a toe ring on.  This was done to both feet.

 

 They then proceeded with their third and final round of the flame.

When they completed their rounds, they had to find a shell dropped by the priest into a pail of turmeric water.

The groom then placed a necklace, a gift from the groom's family, I presume.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The couple were then garlanded and blessed by the elder members of the families, one by one, after which the the couple had to pay homage to them.

 With that concluded, the rest or the guests took their turn in congratulating the couple.