[FredderiK]

In Kerala they have taken it up now.

Dear SS,

As far as I know the nairs of Kerala had an archaic practice in which a priest (probably a Namboodiri) used to perform a symbolic marriage to every girl on her attaining the marriageable age. In this ceremony the priest, it is learnt from books, used to present each girl with a "poDava" meaning one (or perhaps two) white dhotis-which was the attire even among the royalty till recently - to the girl. I had also read somewhere that this "poDavakoDa" which got shortened to "poDavaDa" as I used to hear when I was a boy - was held as some sort of a mass marriage, the priest presenting the cloth/es to all the eligible girls in the village on a selected auspicious date and time. The girls could then have a "sambandham" type of marriage. This was when the matrilineal family system was prevalent among nairs.

In due course the tying of a small golden heart-shaped piece - called "minnu" meaning twinkle (usually one or two grams) with a black thread running through the hole provided for it, around the girl's neck got added to this rite. This was called "minnukeTTu" and this word became a synonim for marriage itself and continues till this day. This custom of minnukeTTu is observed by the Christians and probably by a section of the muslims as a reminder of their old, hindu, leanings.

Vedic marriage does not envisage tirumangalyam at all. I will elaborate it in another, separate post