Whereas in most Indian states, brides tend to be decked in hues of red on their wedding day, Kerala’s wedding attire is starkly different in that it shimmers in white and gold. However, with the confluence of cultures and modern-day thoughts, wedding day bridal attires have changed a little over time. Let us take a look into what kind of bridal attires rule the scene in Kerala today.
Traditional dress for the bride
Gold is always thought of as the ‘metal of the gods’, and a Kerala bride adorns herself with plenty of gold. The dress code of the bride is the Kasavu Pudava or the white/off-white sari embellished with gold borders and designs. Originally called the ‘Mundum Neriyathum’ meaning ‘dhoti and upper cloth’ in local parlance, this dress has its origins date back to Buddhist times. Many brides still choose soft cotton for the fabric while some others have changed over to silk and other materials.
The blouse colours have changed from white to different shades as preferred by the bride. Modern-day brides choose different styles of blouses and some of them are embellished with golden sequins and other trinkets. Some brides even wear coloured sarees for their wedding ceremonies.
The bride is decorated in gold ornaments on her wedding day. She wears chains of different lengths, the longest ones usually reaching down to her waist. The ‘kasu mala’ or chain is made of gold coins in a favourite design. She wears bangles of different types and designs on both her hands. The most important piece of jewellery is the golden ‘thali’ or the mangalsutra that the groom ties around her neck. This ceremony officially declares the couple as man and wife and is the central event of most Indian marriage functions. The bride also wears anklets and amulets as beauty enhancers.
The bride usually wears her hair as a long single plait. She wears a couple of specialized ornaments on her head and forehead. The hair is adorned with lots of jasmine flowers. Sometimes, these flowers are twirled down to the end of the plait.
Attire for the Groom
The traditional attire for the Kerala groom is the traditional dhoti and Mel Mundu or the upper cloth draped over the bare upper body. The groom can choose to wear the dress in cotton. Some grooms prefer to wear the attire in silk.
Modern grooms have settled for a slight costume change. While the dhoti tradition is still popular, the grooms now wear coloured shirts or even kurtas for the wedding ceremony. The shirt/kurta material is either cotton or silk.
The dhoti is wrapped around in style and draped neatly. The ‘kara’ or the border of the dhoti appears laid out vertically after neatly pleating the dhoti. The modern man drapes the mundu in slightly different ways today and is ready to experiment with various styles.
The groom wears minimum jewellery. Most of the time, there is a chain around the neck and a watch on the hand. This said a good-looking watch is a must. If the traditional wedding ceremony involves exchanging the rings, the end of the wedding sees the groom with a ring on his finger.
Whatever is said and done, traditional wedding attire for the groom and bride centres around matching the shades of white and gold. With changing times, both the bride and groom are trying changes with a subtle dose of experimentation that keeps the attendees guessing and waiting for the entry of the star couple to the wedding venue.