Wedding bells are ringing: Here's why Tamil couples are saying ‘I do' this month
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 — Have you been getting many wedding cards from your Indian friends lately?
Well, expect more invitations to come because it's currently the wedding season for the Tamil community, which will continue until the eve of Valentine's Day in February.
This annual wedding season coincides with the Thai month — the 10th month in the Tamil calendar — that occurs between mid-January until mid-February.
The Thai month kicks off with the Pongal harvest festival, that is usually celebrated on January 14 annually.
While Tamil weddings can take place in other months — except during Aadi (mid-July to mid-August) and Margazhi (mid-December to mid-January), the Thai month is still regarded as one of the most auspicious time for weddings, thanks to the harvest season.
Malaysia Hindu Sangam secretary S. Vinayagamurthi said the harvest season provided resources for the Tamil community to purchase gold, new attire and other necessities to hold marriages.
'Since Tamil Nadu was primarily an agrarian economy, farmers used to sell their harvest to traders during the Thai month, spurring economic activities across the state.
'This led to the cultural belief that the Thai month marks the advent of new opportunities, including marriages.
'So, tying the knot during the Thai month is said to attract divine blessings,' he told Malay Mail.
Vinayagamurthi said a wedding boom occurs during Thai month because weddings are generally not held during the preceding month of Margazhi, which is dedicated to religious activities and spiritual pursuits.
'Many Tamil Hindus fast throughout the Margazhi month and therefore, it is not considered conducive for marriages.
'The Thai month also marks the end of the winter solstice and the start of the sun's northward movement for six months.
'This shift in the sun's movement is called uttarayanam, which brings about longer days and shorter nights.
'So, most auspicious events, including marriages and temple consecrations, take place during the first six months of the year,' he said.
For Hindu temple priests M. Ganesan and his brother, M. Saravanan, the Thai month is the busiest as many couples seek their services for weddings.
Ganesan said that he has conducted four weddings since January 15 so far, and has a few more lined up for the next few days.
He added that most couples prefer to tie the knot on weekends, but this year, the majority of the auspicious wedding dates for this month happen to be on weekdays.
'Some couples also prefer to get married during the waxing moon cycle since it symbolises blooming and growth.
'This month, the waxing moon cycle starts from January 30 and will last until February 12,' he told Malay Mail.
Modern as they might be, bride-to-be Thivyaa Maniam said she and her fiance Shugeshan Sukumaran still cherish their cultural heritage and hold fast that for certain things like weddings, it is best to follow custom.
'We didn't just want a traditional wedding; we wanted everything about our wedding to be rooted in our culture,' she told Malay Mail.
She related that it was difficult to plan her wedding due to the limited auspicious dates available as well as Hindu priests able to conduct the ceremony.
'That's why we didn't mind getting married on a weekday,' she said, adding that the couple will be tying the knot on January 31.
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