Meet the Toda, Know the Tradition
Who visited India; Tamil Nadu is a well known state to them. Its capital is Chennai (formerly Madras). Every year many travelers come here to visit some historical and attractive place. But most of them do not know some tradition and culture of this region.
Toda & Tradition:
Now, I want to introduce a bizarre tradition that still followed by Toda tribal in Tamil Nadu. The tribes live in Nilgiri district of Tamil Nadu in the interior forests near state’s Udagamandalam area. According to the tradition marriage of any couple is solemnized only after the bride successfully conceives a baby of her hubby. Toda tribes have been practicing their traditional marriage style for years where celebrations go on not at the time of marriage but when the bride is pregnant.
Bow & Arrow Ceremony:
Following the tradition, the bride has to stay with her husband after marriage for one or two month. Then she has to go to her parents’ house. After that when she becomes pregnant, a joint ceremony organizes called the bow and arrow ceremony. In the ceremony, the groom has to go to the forest. He makes a bow and arrow from the tender stems of the tree and presents those to the bride. It is the heart-breaking situation for the groom. Because if his bride accepts those, it means that the baby in her womb is his and the bride accepts him as her hubby. Few of those marriages are arranged when the two are still kids.
Real Experience:
Tourists who witness the ceremony usually fascinate. I observed such a festival and it took place at the beginning of the seventh month of pregnancy. It is marked by traditional dance and songs by the tribes with the clan wearing different colorful shawls. The ceremony is conducted a day before the full moon day. Earlier, Vasamalli (mother of bridegroom) said “My son got married one and a half years before. Now my daughter-in-law has conceived fifth month. And we are doing big ceremony. We are very happy that a new member is coming to our community.” End of the ceremony the couple took the blessings of the elders.
The ceremony is really amazing. You cannot believe if you don’t see it. So, my requests to you if you come in India, try to attend such a ceremony and get an event what is really enjoyable and tough to forget.
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