The tali-kettu ceremony of the Variyars generally takes place before a girl reaches puberty, and, in the case of boys, after the ceremony of Sivadiksha has been performed, that is between the twelfth and sixteenth years.
Before marriage, a tali-kettu ceremony resembling that of the Nayars is often gone through, all the girls of a family who are of marriageable age having talis tied round their necks on the same day by a maternal uncle.
Of those who gave evidence before the Malabar Marriage Commission, some thought the tali-kettu was a marriage, some not.
A sub-division of Marans, who, at the tali-kettu ceremony of the Nayars, carry the ashtamangalyam or eight auspicious things.
The Pisharatis celebrate the tali-kettu ceremony before the girl reaches puberty.
The Paraiyas observe two marriage rites, the tali-kettu and sambandham.
As regards marriage, the Pulluvans observe both tali-kettu and sambandham.
The Paravas perform both the tali-kettu and sambandham ceremonies.
There are cases in which the tali-kettu is performed by a Pisharati, and sambandham contracted with a Brahman.
Of those who gave evidence before the Malabar Commission, some thought the tali-kettu was a marriage, some not.
The masters of the ceremonies at a Nayar tali-kettu in Travancore are called Machchampikkar, i.
One difference is that a Brahmani does not sing at their tali-kettu marriages.
The tali-kettu is likewise performed by Tirumalpads in the southern taluks, but by their own castemen, called Enangan, in the northern taluks.
This is called pandal kizhikkal, and corresponds to the tali-kettu kalyanam of the other castes.
An interesting account of the tali-kettu ceremony is given by Duarte Barbosa, who writes as follows.
The kuttu-minnu is worn on the neck for the first time by a girl when her tali-kettu is celebrated.
A woman of this class takes the part of the Brahmini woman (Nambissan) at the tali-kettu kalyanam of girls belonging to the kulams included in the third group.
Prior to the tali-kettu ceremony, the girls wear a kasu or sovereign.
Kettu had already disappeared in the hut to see whether Miss Pussy's broken dish still stood by the water-tub.
Early in the morning, Sikku awoke to find that Kettu was biting a man in the leg.
Kettu and Miss Pussy lived many years and, when they died, were both buried at the foot of Sipuri Mountain.
One day he climbed up the highest peak of the mountain while Kettu watched the cows in the valley.
He tried to drag her out, but he was not strong enough, and when he had worked over her until he was worn out, he had to give up and go home driving only fourteen cows, while the bell cow lowed and Kettu howled.
Kettu got the porridge ladle to lick, and stole Miss Pussy's milk from the broken earthen dish which stood on the floor near the water-tub, though he seldom got the milk without a battle!
Kettu drove the cows together when they strayed, Kettu watched them while Sikku took his midday nap, and Sikku shared with Kettu the hard bread that was, for both, the usual breakfast and dinner.
Kettu scorned such things, but Sikku enjoyed them all in the course of the summer, and thought he fared like a prince.
If the marriage is performed before puberty, the ceremony is apparently combined with the tali-kettu kalyanam.
The method of celebrating the tali-kettu differs in different parts of Travancore.
Like many other Malabar castes, the Chaliyans perform the talikettu ceremony.
The Kurukkals observe both the tali-kettu kalyanam and sambandham.
The minnu or marriage ornament is worn after the tali-kettu until the death of the tali-tier.
The tali-kettu ceremony is celebrated when a girl is seven, nine or eleven years old.
The tali-kettu ceremony is cancelled by a ceremony called vazhippu, by which all connection between the tali-tier and the girl is extinguished.
As with the Nayars, the tali-kettu kalyanam has to be celebrated.
The Kaniyans observe both the tali-kettu ceremony before puberty, and sambandham after that event.
Kolayan girls go through the mangalam or tali-kettu ceremony before they reach puberty.
They wear the kudumi (hair knot), and are said to follow the marumakkatayam system of inheritance in the female line, but they do not perform the tali kettu ceremony.
The tali-kettu and sambandham ceremonies are celebrated, the former before, and the latter after the girl has reached puberty.
The preliminary rites of betrothal and kapu-kettu (tying the string round the wrist) over, the bridegroom enters the marriage hall in procession.
The above list will hopefully give you a few useful examples demonstrating the appropriate usage of "kettu" in a variety of sentences. We hope that you will now be able to make sentences using this word.
