In past generation , marriages did not happen in a mandapam / party hall. The event was happening at the bride's home. If the house was not big enough to hold all the relatives, a pandhal was made in the street and marriages happened. The bride would then be taken to the groom's house by the groom family. My parents wedding happened this way.
Later, people started to book a hall for conducting marriage. Still, After marriage relatives would then be visiting the bride & groom house. So a pandhal was kept in front of the house, with the welcome board. This would be easy for the visitors to identify the house. lot of spaces would be used in front of house for the visitors to sit and chat under the roof.
When streets were very narrow or houses on the Highway road, no chances of putting big pandhal. Two full grown plantain tree would be tied on entrance with the serial lights welcome board. Full-grown plantain trees are used as they are Eternal tree of evergreen plenty for endless generations!
Recently I came across one house in Chennai in my neighborhood. I could not stop laughing. They had covered the plantain tree with the white sac. Picture shown below.
Reason is obvious. Our area is fully occupied with residential who have cattle's at home. They would be walking along streets all day. To avoid those cattle's damaging the plantain tree's trunk, they have covered it with sac.
Either the people at home, wanted to avoid bad luck due to cattle (they call it as bad sagunam if the tree fell down before the function) or wanted to safe guard the plantain tree's trunk as it can be used for some other reason post function. At least they believe humans and left the banana part. Else they would have covered that also with sac.
On seeing this, something came to my mind.. Instead of tying a plantain tree and covering with sac, as they rent the welcome board and serial lights, better they rent a plantain tree made of plastic / thermocol. that way cattle wont damage it.
--Dhanesh Amma
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