Kettu Kalyanam

Kettu Kalyanam, also known as Thali Kettu, was the name of an elaborate marriage ceremony of the Samanthan, Nair, Maarar, and Ambalavasi communities of the southern Indian state of Kerala. The customs varied from region to region and caste to caste. In some places among higher class Nairs in North Malabar, Travancore and Cochin, a Malayali Brahmin (Nambudiri or Potti) is invited for this purpose of tying the Tali and perform rituals. In South Malabar, a person who belongs to the same caste or Thirumulpad, or Pattar (Tamil Brahmin) is invited to act as bridegroom for this purpose. The customs varied from region to region and caste to caste.

Sambandham might take place only if the bride had already had this elaborate ritual mock-marriage known as Kettu Kalyanam. The Kettu Kalyanam is ceremonial only, for after the rituals the groom returns to his house, never to meet the bride again. In some parts of Malabar immediately after the ceremony, a formal divorce is constituted, whereas in other areas the groom enters into sambandham with the girl and becomes her husband in practice, if the girl be of marriageable age.