Valaikappu ceremony for expectant mom
According to family elders, valaikappu is held mainly in the fifth or seventh months of a woman’s pregnancy, in order to celebrate the joy of the upcoming motherhood.
An Indian-origin family on the South Coast recently held a ‘baby shower’ function in a truly traditional and cultural Tamil ceremony not commonly seen anymore.
Nanda and Veni Naicker of Palm View held the valaikappu for their daughter, Neloshnie Moonsamy, who is seven months pregnant.
Family and friends described it as ‘beautiful’.
The ceremony, among other things, was punctuated with women family members garlanding the mother-to-be, slipping bangles into her hands, with prayer songs.
Veni said the family decided to hold the traditional ceremony because they wanted to celebrate their daughter becoming a mother soon.
“I used to watch this ceremony on Tamil TV networks in Tamil Nadu and I used to tell my daughter that I would also hold the traditional valaikappu for her.”
Neloshnie said she really appreciated the extent of the efforts to which her parents had gone. “I am so happy that we really appreciate our traditions and cultures,” she said.
According to family elders, valaikappu is held mainly in the fifth or seventh months of a woman’s pregnancy, in order to celebrate the joy of the upcoming motherhood.
“The ceremony also ensures the welfare of both the mother to be and the baby inside her womb,” said Kistamma Subramoney, who gave a speech about the relevance of the ceremony.
“It is a bangle ceremony where the pregnant mother is showered with glass bangles which are slipped into her hand by close family and friends,” she said.
“The expectant mother is also showered with gifts for her baby to be. This type of ceremony is not only traditional but also religious in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka in South India and in many parts of the world like South Africa where people of Tamil origin live.”
She said that, according to her experience and research, valaikappu is seen as both a social gathering for the mother-to-be with her relatives and friends, as well as a celebration of a new life.
“In the good, old days valaikappu was a social gathering for women relatives and friends to share their experience and lessons on motherhood. Another purpose was to honour the pregnant woman and to ensure that both the mother and child would be healthy after the birth.”
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