Adi Perukku

When is it celebrated?

The occasion of Adi is celebrated after the first year of marriage, in the Adimasam or the month of Adi (16 Jul-16 Aug). During this occasion, the bride’s mother gets two Talikundoos (protective jewelry), which are made from the local jewelry stores.

In the past, the bridegroom used to kill a lion or a tiger and bring the tooth as a symbol of victory and virility. In those days it used to be real tooth, but nowadays these are made of gold.

Bride’s Mother Visits the Daughter 

On the occasion of Adi, the bride’s mother visits her daughter’s place along with a group of other married women. They take the bride to a waterfront and apply turmeric paste on her face. The Tali is untied here and is replaced with a Mangal Sutra. The two gold kundoos are then placed on both sides of the Tali, which is placed on a banana leaf with rice, turmeric paste, kumgumam, betel nut, flowers, coconut, betel leaf etc. and offered to the Gods. The Tali and Kundoos are tied on this auspicious occasion. The Mangal Sutra is also tied on the bride’s neck by the bridegroom, before the advent of Rahukulam. The bridegroom receives gifts from his in-laws, and new suits, shirts and saris are also exchanged on this occasion. In the subsequent Adis, the young bride herself changes the Tali. If the bride is pregnant, the Adi ceremony is performed in the subsequent year.