Tamil Wedding Thaalee Kodi

Srilanka Tamil people is still observing many ancient traditions during their matrimonial ceremonies to be followed by the bride and groom as was done thousands of years back by their ancestors.

In the ancient time as per Tamil tradition, Tamil men used to tie saffron piece or palymarah leaf piece around the neck of the bride at the wedding ceremony for to make her as his wife. Then it changed to putting three knots with the yellow twine with thalee or turmeric piece (Twin was made in to yellow color with the turmeric paste) around the neck of the bride. The woman wore it till their husband was alive. Those women who had lost their husband don't take part in public functions. Even some widows take part in public functions in low profile.

Now as traditions are little changing and women like gold, Thaale and gold chain (kodi) are a part of married Tamil women, also called as maangalyam. "Thaalek kodi - Thali. This is not assumed as a Gold Jewellery, but a spiritual ornament belongs to married women who's husband is a living person. A proud husband used to put Thalee kodi made with a total of 168 grams ( 21 Sovereigns) of gold.

This is made of 22 Ct gold. It contains, a Thaale, two 1/2 Sovereign gold coins, and a "Kodi" woven with Gold strings. The "Thaale kodi" must to weigh 5 sovereigns (Pown), 7Soverigns or 9 sovereigns as the whole total must be 7, 9, 11,15 or even higher in odd number. Sovereigns in total with "thalee" and the gold coins. This can't be bought from Jewellery shop, Thaalee must be ordered and made by a gold smith who must be a happily married person living along with his wife and children.

Making the "Thaalekodi" by the goldsmith must start on an auspicious day and time selected by the family astrologer.

This procedure will provide a happy and joyful married life for the new couple, Also there are other things worn by the married women on wedding day are "metti" on the finger of the leg and "kumkum" (Kumkumam) on the forehead. When you order for Thali kodi the shop used to provide set of metti as a fine gesture.

Types of Thali available in Srilanka.

Pottu Thali is one spiritual ornament bought in jeweler shops to present to Amman God in temples.
Kombu Thali (Most Jaffna Hindu women wear this on and after their wedding day)
Kombu Thali with Amman
Double (Retta) Kombu Thali
Ramar Thali
Amman Thali
Vaishnavar Thali
Pillaiyar Thali
Lingam Thali
Lingam and Amman Thali
Santhana Gopalan Thali
Annam Thali
Christian Thali
Holy Ghost,Bible & Cross Hanging Thali
Holly Ghost Thali

Kumkumam is made by adding lime powder to the turmeric and grinding it, in that way it turn from yellow to red color powder. Then it is presented in front of the Shakthi god to be blessed and distributed to users. Troy ounce is used to weigh precious metals.

Avoirdupois ounce is used to weigh grocery items. This is what we are using to weigh rise and flour and this is not used
to weigh the Gold.

Gold weighing.
01 Troy pound = 12 "Troy" ounces = 373 grams.
01 Troy ounce = 31.10 grams.
01 Troy ounce = 480 grains.

08 Grams = 01 Pavun (Pound Sterling coin).Sri Lanka .

British sovereign is a gold coin of U.K with a nominal value of one pound sterling in the 1880's. The Tamils in Sri Lanka then Ceylon used to add 2 Gold coins in their Thalee - Thali kodi with King George which was then called pounds and in Tamil it became as Pavun. The gold content is actually 7.322 g (10/11)and there is 1/11 is copper all together
the coin used to weigh 7.9876 grams.

Gold when not mixed with other metals, will be called as .999
So when you buy Gold of
24 carats = 1000 fine
22 carats = 916.6 fine (Mixed with other metals.)
18 carats = 750.0 fine (Mixed with other metals.)
14 carats = 583.3 fine (Mixed with other metals.)

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