The wedding culminates with the groom
applying vermillion or kumkum to the bride’s
forehead, welcoming her as his partner for life.
This is the first time that kumkum is applied to
the forehead of woman, when the bridegroom
himself adorns her with it. In South-India, this
is usually followed by the groom putting toerings
on the bride. The kumkum, the
mangalsuthram and the toe-rings symbolize a married woman.