Iyer-Iyengar marriage ceremonies

[Ramachander]

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I have done detailed research on Iyer marriage ceremonies and a hundred page article by me is available in the matrimonial section of the web site www.keralaiyers.com
The marriage ceremony of brahmins is split in to three major portions:-
1.Permission by the respective parents for their wards to marry.
2.Gift of the girl by the brides parent to the groom, requesting him to marry her.
3.Actual marriage of the girl as conducted by the groom.
In case of iyer-Iyengar marriage, for the first step , the respective priests will officiate. For the second step, the bride's priest will officiate and for the third step, the grooms priest should officiate.
With best wishes, Ramachander

 

[Nacchinarkiniyan]

The Iyers recite "Parameswara Preethyartham" in their Sandya Vandanam.

A close reading shows that the Smartas have adapted the Sandyavandhanam of the Vaishnavites with only this Parameswara Preethyartham being changed. (I do not think Parameswaran will be preethified by the Iyer reciting all those Vishnu namas.)

Originally according to the religious history of ancient India there were Smarta-Saivas and Smarta-Vishnavas. Even now we have Nama Iyers who are Vaishnavites and put Thrichuranam on their forehead. The Smartas were not smart enough to retain their own Sandya Vandana. There is a Saktha Sandya Vandana also.

The Panchayathana Puja of the Smartas has Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesha, Surya, and Amman. In our family we have Skanda in place of Ganesha.

There is a lot of variation in marriage ceremonies depending on sub-sect, gothra, and region. In the middle of one of my friend's marriage the bride-groom's father shocked every one by having a doubt whether the bride was a Smarta. The Sasthirigal had to explain to him about the variation because of sub-sect and region.

 

[silverfox]

Dear Thiru Nacchinarkiniyan!
You sound parochial!! (I am just kidding!)
Anyway, what exactly is the meaning of 'Smartha' as against 'Saivaite' or 'Iyer'? How did the name 'Iyengar' come about?

 

[Nacchinarkiniyan]

Dear Thiru Nacchinarkiniyan!
You sound parochial!! (I am just kidding!)
Anyway, what exactly is the meaning of 'Smartha' as against 'Saivaite' or 'Iyer'? How did the name 'Iyengar' come about?

This wiki article explains the Smartha beliefs and the difference between the sects. I personally do not like the name Smartism. This article is good by wiki standards. We did not come to blows and there was not much vandalism.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartism

This is ISKON point of view.

http://hinduism.iskcon.com/tradition/1204.htm

About the name Iyengar

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iyengar

I did not know about the Iyer/Iyengar business till I was in college. My village had only one Iyengar family who were called the Iyengar. We had a big Perumal temple in the village. The other major caste in the village were Saiva Vellala Pillais. But they too had only a Perumal temple. We had an Amman temple in common where there was Siva and Natraja.
I come from a family of Sankararamans, Sankaranarayanans and Ramasubramanians.

I rile at our seers sometimes. One of the occasions was when I learnt the meaning of the Phalashruti of Vishnu Sahasranamam. It is said

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]sri rAma rAma rAmeti rame rAme manorame
sahasra nAma tat tulyam rAma nAma varAnane[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica](As stated by Lord Siva to PArvati - if you just chant the name "RAma",
it is equivalent to chanting the 1000 names of Sri MahA Vishnu").[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]After chanting all the tongue twisting and jaw breaking names, this is shocking and you feel let down.
[/FONT]

 

[raka]

mrifan,
I was going through one of your posts in sept in which you were looking for soem event management companies that would be able to arrange a iyengar wedding. I was wondering if you found any companies because i am looking for the same