Telugu wedding ceremony

The traditional telugu wedding ceremony is organized in a unique way. It is an elaborate affair; where in a number of rituals are conducted before, during and after the marriage. The preparations for the festive occasion start with the finalisation of the wedding date, which is done well before the ‘important day’. As a part of the customary, the Telugu people call on an astrologer to fix a date and time which is called Muhurtham for the auspicious occasion. This paves the way to the commencement of the preparations for the wedding, which are done in the most elaborate, colourful and vivacious way.
All the rituals conducted throughout the Telugu wedding ceremony hold religious significance. Each element in the ceremonies is connected with the other and is given special importance. Some people also conduct a couple of Poojaa prior to the wedding, so that the ceremony is organised without any hassle. This makes Telugu marriage a handed over to the groom by her father which is called Kanyaadaanam and the methods by which the groom ties the Mangalasootram around her neck. In this section, we have given detailed information on the Telugu wedding ceremony.

Pre-wedding customs

The rich and varied cultural heritage of Andhra Pradesh, a southern state of India, is reflected in the ceremonies conducted there. Almost all festivals are celebrated with religious observance, holding supreme importance in the lives of the residents of the state.

Muhurtham

An auspicious time for the marriage, also known as muhurtham, is chosen by the family astrologer. The Telugu people generally avoid months including Aasaadam, Bhadrapadam and Shuna maasam, because theyare considered inauspicious time for the ceremonious occasion.

Pendlikoothuru

In the Pendlikoothuru ceremony, turmeric paste and oil is smeared to the bride and the groom, at their respective homes. This is done to cleanse their skin, so that a natural glow is radiated. After bathing the bride and the groom, they are given a new set of clothing to wear. The bride is adorned with flowers and jewellery.

Snaathakam

Snaathakam ritual takes place at the bridegroom’s residence before the muhurtham. As a part of this custom, the groom is asked to wear a silver thread on his body. The ritual is conducted a few hours prior to the wedding.

Kaashi Yaatra

After reciting the Vedic verses, the groom pretends to go on a Kaashi Yaatra. He shows that he has discared the worldly pleasure and is no more interested in leading a family life. He is then stopped by the brother of the bride, who persuades him to assume the responsibility of a house holder.

Wedding customs

The rituals conducted by the Telugu speaking people during the ceremonious occasion of wedding are different from those conducted in neighbouring southern state of India. In Andhra Pradesh, the Telugu people follow their own traditions, while conduction a wedding. The bride’s maternal uncle and her brother play a prominent role at the time of her marriage.

Mangala snaanam

As a part of Mangala snaanam custom, the bride and groom are required to take an auspicious bath on the wedding day. The aim is to purify them and make them prepared to perform sacred rites.

Aarthi

Oil is applied to the bride and groom at their respective houses. Thereafter, the family members get together to perform Aarthi. They pray to Lord to give wisdom to the bride and groom to lead their life happily.

Ganesh and Gowri Pooja

Before the wedding ceremony, the groom attends the Ganesh and Gowri pooja, which is conducted at the mandapam.

Kanyaadaanam

Kanyaadaanam is the ceremony in which the girl’s family hands over their daughter’s responsibility to the groom. During the ceremony, the bride sits in a bamboo basket. Her maternal uncle brings her to the Mandapam. Until the completion of the kanyaadaanam, the bride and groom are not allowed to look at each other and therefore, they are separated by a curtain that is place between them, as a partition. Thereafter, the bride’s parents wash the groom’s feet, assuming him as an avatar of God.

Jeelakarra Bellam & Madhuparkam

The priest recites the shlokaas from the Vedaas. Thereafter, the couple is asked to smear a paste made from cumin seeds and jiggery on each other’s hand. This custom is referred to as Jeelakarra-Bellamu. This ceremony is observed to communicate that the relationship of the married couple is unbreakable and inseparable.

As a part of Madhuparkam ritual, the bride dresses up in white custom saari with red border. On the other hand, the groom wears white dhothi with red border. White is the colour for purity and red is for strength.

Sumangali

Ten married women (Sumangalis) accompany the bride. Six out of the ten women hold plates containing a mixture of rice and turmeric powder, while the rest of the four hold small lit lamp in their respective plates. Rice represents abundance, while the lit lamps symbolise light.

Tying of the Mangalasootram

In order to perform the ritual, the partition between the bride and groom are removed. After removing the partition, the groom ties the two strings of the mangalasootra, each with a golden disc, around the groom’s neck. The mangalasootra represents the physical, mental and spiritual union of the couple. In the Telugu wedding, the groon ties three knots of mangalasootra.

Akshintalu

In the Talambraalu ceremony, the bride and groom exchange garlands. People witnessing this occasion come forward to bless the couple, by sprinkling flower petals and rice coated with turmeric powder.

Saptapadi

As a part of the Saptapadi rituals, the groom and bride walk seven steps together around the fire, while chanting mantras. When the pheras are conducted, the pallu(Kongu) of the bride’s saari is tied to one and of the grooms kanduva.

Sthaalipaakam

Sthaalipaakam is a ritual where in the groom adorns the feet of the bride with silver toe rings. In order to ward-off the evil eye, she asked to wear a string of black beads during the ceremony.

Post-wedding customs

The post wedding rituals observed by the Telugu speaking people in India are very charming to look at. After the wedding ceremony is over, the bride enters the groom’s house formally. She is given a hearty welcome by the groom’s family members. The uniting of Mangalasootram takes place after a fortnight.

Gruhapraveshm

After the culmination of the wedding ceremony, the bride is formally taken to the groom’s house. This is called Gruhapravesham of the bride. As she steps into her new home, she is welcomed by the groom’s family members, including his mother and closes relatives.

Uniting the Mangalasootram

Gruhapravesham is followed by a ceremony, wherein the mangalasootram is united. As a customary, the Telugu speaking people unite the two mangasootraas (which was tied by the groom around the bride’s neck), on a common thread. This ritual is done sixteen days post wedding. This ritual can be performed by either the groom or an elderly member of the family. A few black or glden beads are slipped between the two ‘plates’ of the mangalasootram, so that they do not clash with each other. The unison of mangalasootram signifies the harmony between the two families. After the ceremony is over, the bride takes a bath and wears a new saari.

One point to be noted is Kaashi Yaatra is seen in Brahmins and few others.