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**yarita** · 09-05-2010, 07:16 PM

Can a Chettiyar Bachelors wear Poonal?
Is there any 'Upanayanam' for Chettiyars?

There are many castes or groups who use the surname chettiar. Some 60 years ago I have seen goldsmiths working in my native village wearing poonal. They used to be denoted by the word "tattaan" தட்டான் in the local Malayalam dialect (may be because all the time they will go on beating gold !). I was also given to understand that they were vegetarians.

Later, wearing of poonal went out of fashion and I found the younger goldsmiths not weraing it, though the elderly still sported it. But when they did some work for temples they - including the youngsters - used to wear poonal and were also expected to follow விரதம் till the temple job was completed.

(As an aside, a very competent and much sought-after artisan who now can do gold covering of "kodimarams" of temples and who goes to all hindu temples in India for such work is a Keralite Muslim!!)

Since many groups use the "Chettiar", "Chetty" surname, some of them may have the custom of upanayanam also. BTW, brahmin upanayanam itself was a very very simple and solemn function many decades ago and invitation was given only to few people and close relatives; even in a middle-class household the crowd would not be more than fifty or sixty people. But now with the inputs from TV and cinema, every function is becoming an extravaganza with very costly gifts and counter-gifts ruling the day!

Anyway I find there is no harm in any one desiring to perform upanayanam for his child.

09-05-2010, 07:16 PM	#11
yarita Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 661 Senior Member	Can a Chettiyar Bachelors wear Poonal? Is there any 'Upanayanam' for Chettiyars? There are many castes or groups who use the surname chettiar. Some 60 years ago I have seen goldsmiths working in my native village wearing poonal. They used to be denoted by the word "tattaan" தட்டான் in the local Malayalam dialect (may be because all the time they will go on beating gold !). I was also given to understand that they were vegetarians. Later, wearing of poonal went out of fashion and I found the younger goldsmiths not weraing it, though the elderly still sported it. But when they did some work for temples they - including the youngsters - used to wear poonal and were also expected to follow விரதம் till the temple job was completed. (As an aside, a very competent and much sought-after artisan who *now* can do gold covering of "kodimarams" of temples and who goes to all hindu temples in India for such work is a Keralite Muslim!!) Since many groups use the "Chettiar", "Chetty" surname, some of them may have the custom of upanayanam also. BTW, brahmin upanayanam itself was a very very simple and solemn function many decades ago and invitation was given only to few people and close relatives; even in a middle-class household the crowd would not be more than fifty or sixty people. But now with the inputs from TV and cinema, every function is becoming an extravaganza with very costly gifts and counter-gifts ruling the day! Anyway I find there is no harm in any one desiring to perform upanayanam for his child.
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