Popular Dresses Worn in a Brahmin Wedding

Any wedding ceremony in India is incomplete without exquisite dresses. It is always a delight to see gorgeous-looking brides and well-dressed grooms.

Talking about Indian Brahmins, Brahmins can be largely divided into North Indian Brahmins and South Indian Brahmins. The culture of North Indian Brahmins is significantly different from those in Southern India, and so are their wedding rituals. Similarly, the dresses worn by the Brahmin bride and groom differ according to the region.

In this article, we take a look at costumes specific to two prominent forms of Brahmin matrimonial ceremonies, namely the Maithil Brahmin wedding ceremony (North Indian style) and the Tamil Brahmin wedding ceremony (South Indian style).

Maithil Brahmin Wedding Costume (North Indian Style):

The traditional bridal attire of Maithil Brahmin wedding is the versatile Indian sari. The sari is mostly a high-quality Banarasi silk sari in bright red or maroon. It is a common belief that red colour brings prosperity and good luck in the life of the newlyweds.

On the other hand, the Maithil Brahmin groom, on the wedding day, is seen wearing the modest dhoti kurta combined with a traditional headwear called the pag. A red pag is specifically chosen for the groom, whereas other men in the baraat (wedding procession) wear a white or a yellow pag.

Tamil Brahmin Wedding Costume (South Indian Style):

The Tamil Brahmin brides, just like their North Indian counterparts, are also seen wearing a sari on the day of the wedding. The most important saree for a Tamil Brahmin bride is nine-yard saree, known as the Koora Pudavai. Typically, the Koora Pudavai is maroon or red with a gold border, and is draped in Madisar style. This saree is worn in such a way that the left side shows a female element, and the right side shows the male element – thus resembling the union of the male and the female.

Apart from the 9-yard saree, a Tamil bride has to wear six sarees, all of which are Kanjeevaram silk. Other women attending the wedding are also seen wearing bright-colored Kanjeevaram silk saris. Baby girls dress up in a pattu pavadai, which comprises of a blouse and a skirt.

The wedding dress of a Tamil Brahmin groom is quite simple. The Tamil Brahmin groom wears a pattu veshti (silk dhoti) and the angavastram, which is a silk cloth loosely thrown over the shoulder. The veshti (dhoti) is either cream or off white with a colourful border.

Apart from the groom, the other men of the family are also bare-chested throughout the matrimonial rites. However, in modern times, men can be seen wearing a pattu veshti and either a kurta or angavastram for covering their upper half of bodies.

Modern Brahmin Wedding Costumes:

With changing times, even the wedding costume styles have changed. Don’t be surprised if you see a modern Brahmin groom wearing a sherwani or a suit for the wedding reception. Also, we see a lot of North Indian influence in the South Indian matrimonial attire. Apart from the typical Kanjeevaram saris, modern South Indian Brahmin brides are also seen wearing bright-colored lehenga cholis with heavily embellished dupattas for the wedding receptions.

Nonetheless, the traditional, yet, glamorous Brahmin wedding dresses will always remain hot favourite among the Brahmin community.