In Traditional South Indian Weddings, the auspicious moment for marriage is pre-chosen and known as the Subhamuhurtham.

At this appointed time, amidst mantras from Vedas being recited by the priest, the bride and groom apply jeelakarra bellam (a paste made from cumin seeds and raw brown sugar) on each other’s heads at exactly the same moment.

The bitter taste of cumin and the sweetness of sugar cannot be separated, symbolizing that the bride and groom are supposed to become inseparable through life’s bitter and sweet times.

It is also said when the couple touches each others’ heads, there is a complete interchange of each other’s thoughts and destinies, thus making their lives completely intertwined.

When the groom and bride accept each other completely, the partition is removed at the moment predetermined.
The bride and groom then sit next to each other in front of a sacrificial fire. The bride’s parents are seated to her right while the priest is seated opposite of them and to the left of the groom. A fire, or Agni, is in the center.