Kerala Christian Manthrakodi Saree Guide for Brides

What the manthrakodi is

The manthrakodi is the saree the groom's family gives the bride, blessed at the altar and placed over her head or shoulder during the marriage rite. In many parishes the thread for the minnu is drawn from its border, which ties the two objects of the ceremony together. It is a gift from one family to another before it is a garment, which is why it is bought with the elders involved rather than chosen alone.

Colour, and why cream and gold endures

Cream with a gold zari border remains the most common and the most comfortable choice, because it sits with the white gown or the church setting without competing with it. Ivory, soft gold and pale champagne are all safe. Deep maroon and temple red manthrakodis are traditional in some families and photograph beautifully, but ask both families first, since in a few parishes the manthrakodi is later worn to a specific function where a lighter shade is expected.

Fabric that drapes rather than stands

The manthrakodi is placed over the head, so weight and fall matter more than grandeur. A soft Kanjivaram, a light tissue silk or a fine kasavu silk cotton all drape cleanly. Avoid a very heavy nine yard weave with a stiff body, because it will sit like a board across the shoulders and slip in the same minute the photographs are being taken. If the family insists on a heavy piece, have it pre softened by folding and resting it for a week before the wedding.

The border, and the thread that comes from it

If your parish draws the minnu thread from the manthrakodi, tell the shop at purchase so the border is a real woven zari border and not a stitched on patti. Seven threads are usually drawn, and they must come away cleanly without unravelling the edge. A medium border of two to three inches is easier to work with than a very wide one. Check with the sacristan a week ahead about who draws the thread and when.

The family blessing

In most households the manthrakodi is brought to the bride's home or the church by the groom's family and shown to the elders before the wedding day. Keep this simple. Unfold it once, let the elders see the border, refold it along the same lines and put it away. Repeated unfolding in a warm room is how a cream saree picks up a mark in the days before it is needed.

Folding, carrying and church timing

Fold the manthrakodi lengthwise in three, then in half, so it opens in one movement without a search for the pallu. Carry it in a cotton cloth bag, never in a plastic cover in a warm car. It must reach the church before the service begins and go to the sacristan or the named family member, not stay in a vehicle. Aim to hand it over forty five minutes before the rite, at the same time as the minnu.

Draping it over the head or the shoulder

The groom places the manthrakodi over the bride's head in most Kerala Christian rites, and it is then adjusted to sit over the head and one shoulder. Practise this once at home with the person who will help, usually the bride's sister or the groom's sister. Two hands, one at each shoulder, one smooth movement backwards. Do not attempt to pleat or arrange it in the sanctuary. Neatness here is a matter of how it was folded, not how it is fussed with.

Pinning, and living with the veil

If the bride is wearing a veil, decide before the day whether the manthrakodi goes over the veil or the veil is lifted. Most brides keep the veil in place and let the manthrakodi rest over it, which is simpler and safer. Keep two matching safety pins and one small hair grip with the person helping, so the manthrakodi can be secured at the shoulder for the walk back down the aisle. Our guide to wearing a bridal veil with a saree covers how the two layers sit together.

Afterwards, and keeping it well

The manthrakodi is often worn again at the reception or at the first visit to the groom's home, so ask the family what is expected before you put it away. When it is finally stored, air it for a day out of direct sun, fold it along fresh lines rather than the old creases, wrap it in unbleached cotton and keep it away from naphthalene and plastic. Refold it once a year. See our notes on the Kerala Christian reception saree guide and on bridal makeup balance for the rest of the day's looks.