Valayidal

Valayidal is a pre-wedding ceremony in Mappila Muslim tradition in which the groom's mother — and sometimes the groom's family collectively — visits the bride's home and gifts gold bangles (and often a full ornament set) to the bride.

Valayidal formally announces and solidifies the marriage alliance. In this role, it functions similarly to a betrothal or formal engagement: after Valayidal, the families are publicly committed. The word means 'placing of bangles' (vala = bangle, idal = to place/give).

The gold given at Valayidal is from the groom's family and is distinct from the Mahr, which the groom himself gives at the Nikah.