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Gleanings:
Marriage Yaalpaanam Style
K. S. Sivakumaran
In 1985 a worthwhile book in English was published by the Gakushuin
University in Tokyo Japan. The title of the book: Worldview and Rituals
among Japanese and Tamils (Thamilians). The authors were Thamil scholars
Susumu Ohino, Arunasalam Sanmugadas and Manonmani Sanmugadas.
All three authors have contributed to five researched studies
published in the book. Emeritus Professor A Sanmugadas and his erudite
spouse Manonmani have written three of them.
The relevant essays are: The Thamil Marriage System up to 300 A D (Manonmani
Sanmugadas), The Thamil Marriage Systems after 300 A D (Arunasalam
Sanmugadas) and Marriage in Yaalpaanam (Jaffna) Today (Manonmani
Sanmugadas).
I felt our readers would like to know something about the marriage
customs of Lankans in the North. To do this I depended on the book
referred above, and particularly on the essay by Manonmani Sanmugadas.
(Please note wherever the word Jaffna occurs in the essay I have
changed it to Yaalpaanam because that is the name the Thmailians use).
Jaffna is anglicised. Further for 'Tamil', I spell it as 'Thamil' in the
manner that is pronounced by the people who speak that language.
Illogically in English the spelling and pronunciation for the
language and the people who speak that language are spelt and pronounced
as 'Tamil'. So, Thamil means the language and 'Thamilians' means the
people who speak that language.
Majority of the Sinhala people in their language refers to Thamil as
'Demala, Dhamila' and 'Dravida'. It would be a welcome thing for
national consciousness if the Sinhala brethren in future adopt the
correct pronunciation.
Earlier the Sinhala language was called 'Sinhalese' or 'Singhalese'.
But now for the language 'Sinhala' is used. Similarly the people who
speak Sinhala are now known as 'Sinhalas.'
I feel hurt when the electronic presenters mispronounce Thamil names
all wrong because they go by the archaic English spelling. For instance
for Moothoor, a place in the Thirukoanamali (Trincomalee) district, the
English and Sinhala presenters take no notice of the fact that the first
'U' in Muttur should sound "OO".
There are many instances of mispronunciation. Yet another one: for
Nuraicholai, they spell and pronounce as "Noraicholai". How strange.Such
abuse also is a stumbling block for harmonious relationship among
communities.This is what I gleaned from the essay on Yaalpaanam Marriage
Customs:
Marriage among the Yaalpaanam Thamilians is related to the people at
three levels: level of individuals (a man and a woman), family level
(where the relatives of the individuals are integrated), at the social
level members of the society are taken into consideration).
The custom of establishing relationship as husband and wife in front
of many people has been regarded as 'marriage'.
- Marriage by Giving Rice, Marriage by Performing Pooja to Pillayaar,
Marriage by Tying Thaali in front of Sacred Fire is described in detail.
The last mentioned is described under the following heads: Marriage
talks, comparing horoscopes, talks about dowry, carrying gifts,
selecting an auspicious day, fixing kannikaal and melting gold,
purchasing bridal clothes,, decorating the marriage pandals, inviting
the bridegroom, initial rites, offering the bride, presenting clothes,
tying Thaali, akkini poosai, taking seven steps, stepping on 'ammi'
(grinding stone), offering milk and fruits, looking at a cow, showing
Arunthathi, blessing, The first rice meal, feast, and couple visiting
bridegroom's house.
The land owners declared themselves as belonging to a high caste.
Eighteen types of low castes have been identified. If there was a
marriage ceremony in a high caste house, then the 18 low castes people
were expected to render their services.
The Yaalpaanam society during the British administration and for
sometimes after that allowed the landowners and people from the high
caste to have several unofficial wives among the women from the low
castes.
The newly married couple living with the bride's parents is the most
common practice in Yaalpaanam. It is not only Manonmani Sanmugadas, even
Prof Sanmugadas and the Japanese scholar give very valuable information
and analysis of the Thamilians and the Japanese.
I am not sure where this book would be available. Perhaps the
Yaalpaanam University might have copies of this book.
I sincerely hope that all Lankans could travel to any part of the
country respecting and trusting each other and treat ourselves as
Lankans without any more animosities.
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