The New Indian Express ·
Vintage Malabar wedding ritual makes a comeback
MALAPPURAM: The wedding season in Malabar is getting a nostalgic makeover, as a traditional pre-wedding ritual of the Mappila Muslim community, arikuthu kalyanam, finds a new audience among young brides in Malappuram.
Once a familiar feature, the ritual had gradually disappeared from Mappila wedding celebrations. Now, it is making a quiet comeback, through vintage-themed ceremonies, photographs and social media reels. Brides are swapping contemporary wedding outfits for simple silk saris, kachi and thattam, while old tharavadu homes, wooden interiors and traditional household articles set the stage for celebrations reminiscent of another era.
Believed to have originated in Ponnani, the ritual was traditionally part of the multi-day wedding celebrations of the region. Ponnani’s Mappila weddings, particularly among families following the matrilineal system, traditionally stretched over several days, with the groom being brought to the bride’s house after the marriage.
