Quick Answer
What is oonjal pattu?
Oonjal Pattu are traditional Tamil folk songs sung by women of the family while the bride and groom are seated together on the decorated ceremonial swing (oonjal), typically during a pre-wedding or wedding-day ritual celebrating the couple.
Last updated:
Last updated:
What is oonjal pattu?
Also called: swing songs, oonjal folk songs.
Oonjal Pattu is the soundtrack to one of the gentlest, most visually charming Tamil wedding rituals — women gathered around the swing, singing traditional folk verses as the newly paired couple is gently rocked back and forth, often to the accompaniment of nadaswaram in the background.
In Tamil — தமிழில்
ஊஞ்சல் பாட்டு என்பது மணமகனும் மணமகளும் அலங்கரிக்கப்பட்ட ஊஞ்சலில் அமர்ந்திருக்கும் போது, குடும்பப் பெண்கள் — அம்மா, அத்தை, பாட்டி போன்றோர் — பாடும் பாரம்பரிய நாட்டுப்புற பாடல்கள். தலைமுறை தலைமுறையாக வாய்மொழியாக கடத்தப்படும் இந்த பாடல்கள் மணமக்களை வாழ்த்தும் விதமாக அமைந்திருக்கும், அடிக்கடி நாதஸ்வர இசையுடன் சேர்ந்தும் பாடப்படும்.
What oonjal pattu involves
- •Sung by women of the family — mothers, aunts, grandmothers — while the couple sits together on the oonjal (ceremonial swing).
- •Verses are traditional and often passed down orally within families, blessing the couple and celebrating the union.
- •Accompanied by playful teasing and rice/flower showers as part of the broader ritual around the swing.
Capture family traditions on the day
Brief your photography team on family-specific rituals like oonjal pattu ahead of time using a shared Weddingkart wedding checklist.
Try the wedding checklist tool →Frequently Asked Questions
Are oonjal pattu songs the same in every family?
The general folk style is shared, but specific verses and lyrics often vary by family and region, passed down orally through generations rather than from a single fixed songbook.
Who sings during the oonjal ritual?
Typically the women of the family — mothers, aunts and grandmothers — gather around and sing while the couple sits on the swing.
Is oonjal pattu accompanied by instruments?
It can be sung unaccompanied or alongside instruments like the nadaswaram, depending on the family and the scale of the ritual.
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By Mayank JaiswalLast updated