Traditions followed during the 7th month of Pregnancy
Poojai items arranged for valaikappu
Sweets and Savories for valaikappu
Glass Bangles arranged on both hands
Thamboolam
Thamboolam
- On an auspicious day, Valaikappu is performed. Valaikappu is one of the most beautiful memories of an expectant mother. If it is a Seemantham the rituals are performed by the Gurukalaya.
- In earlier days, the seemantham ceremony was usually done in her inlaws house and Valaikappu cermony is performed in her Maternal abode. Nowadays for convenience both the ceremonies are combined.
- On the day of Valaikappu, she drapes the saree given by her in-laws. After that , she receives another saree from her parents. which she drapes throughout the ceremony.
- Her hands are adorned with henna (maruthani).
- For the Pooja arrange the following items : on a banana leaf place a manjal pilliyar, lamp , a picture of a diety ,a measure (nalzi) filled with paddy (raw rice), panchapatra, karpoora thattu, bell, flowers, beetal leaves, beetal nut (pakku), cocunut and banana.
- An elderly woman of the family lights the lamp and performs the Pooja.
- After the Pooja, the expectant mother slips in bangles for 3-5 young girls. The most beautiful way would be making them sit on her lap without making her feel uncomfortable.The number of girls should be in odd numbers.
- Now comes the turn of the beautiful mother to be.
- She is made to port bangles made of veppam kuchi (neem sticks). Few neem sticks are interlocked to make a bangle.
- Then, her mother gently slips glass bangles for her. On her left hand there should be 11 glass bangles and on her right hand there should be 10.
- Make sure there is one black glass bangle on her left hand.
- Sula kappu in gold and sliver are generally put in by her mother and mother in law.
- Elder ladies who have also come to witness the function may also gift the sula kappu or bangles.
- It is a belief that the sound of the glass bangles will be heard by the baby in the womb.
- To conclude the ceremony Aarti is taken.
- After the function, lunch is announced. Different types of variety rice along with vada and sweet generally consists of the menu.
- As the guest starts to leave ,glass bangles are distributed to the guests with a minimum of 4 from the maternal side.
- A thamboolam typically consist of bangles sweets and savories (murukku or thenkulal) normally distributed by the Maternal parents.
- Pori Vilangu is usually the traditional sweet of Nellai. Nowadays it has been replaced by a host of other sweets.
- After the Valaikappu ceremony, the contented girl is taken to her mother's house after receiving blessings from her close family.
- Make sure that the expectant father is not allowed to send her off.
- For the postnatal care, the happy mother resides in her maternal abode for 5 months.
- After 5 months of post natal care, relations from the paternal side accompany the mother and her baby to her home
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