4 unusual wedding traditions in South India

South Indians have some unusual wedding traditions  

Weddings in India are often marked with much pomp and show. It is celebrated on a grand scale, and can often run into days.

In south India, weddings are marked with some unusual traditions.

Here are 4 that you may not have heard before

Kerala Weddings:

The traditional Hindu wedding requires the couple to go around the sacred fire seven times, but not so in Hindu Kerala weddings. Here, the couple is expected to go around the fire three times only, and the bride’s father ties the thaali, and then gives away his daughter to his future son-in-law.

2. Mangalore Weddings:

In coastal Karnataka, the Christians of Mangalore adopt certain Hindu rituals when they get married.  For instance, in Catholic weddings, roce (coconut milk) is applied on the brides’s face, hands and legs, similar to a Mehendi ceremony where turmeric is also applied on the face, legs and hands. Also, during the weddings, the couple garland each other, as well as the groom symbolically puts the wedding necklace (karimani). Besides this, a gesture of the cross is drawn on both the bride and grooms forehead, and hymns are sung.

3. Tree marriages:

One of the most bizarre wedding rituals in India involves getting married to a tree, especially if the bride happens to be manglik (determined by astrologers). Before she can get married, she needs to wed a tree to ward off bad luck and evil.

Also:  8 weird superstitions that people still believe 

4. Kannada Weddings:     

A particular tradition called the Kashi Yatra is followed in Kannadiga weddings. Here, the groom pretends to go off on a yatra for higher knowledge and purpose, but the bride's father, maternal uncle or brother stops and shows him a potential bride (his daughter). The groom then decides not to go for the yatra and returns to wed the bride.