Telugu wedding ceremony

The Telugu wedding ceremony (Teluginti Pelli) is the traditional wedding ceremony of the Telugu people of Andhra in India. In the 19th century, the ceremony could last up to 14 days. In modern times, it can last 5 or more days, depending on the family's financial and social status.

As all the relatives of both sides and well wishers give a hand in every aspect of the ceremony, the planning itself is part of the celebration. For this reason, there is a saying in the Telugu language that marriage is not between two people, but between two families. Some marriages are done in the temple in presence of god but most of them are conducted outside because of the number of people in attendance. After every ceremony they serve food to all the guests which is also the main part of the culture of offering food to anyone who comes on an auspicious day. 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. Weddings reflect the customs and the culture of Andhra, and are meant to be reflective of the warm hearts of the Telugu people. The decorations mostly consist of flowers and mango leaves in rich colors. The families renovate their houses and invite all the guests going to each of their houses with the kumkum.

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 observances, holding supreme importance in the lives of the residents of the state.

Nischithardham

Both of the families approach their family astrologers and sit together to fix a date which is both auspicious and convenient for both sides. The date and time is arranged to the very second, also known as muhurtham. The Telugu people generally avoid the months or a time period where asaadam, Bhadrapadam and Shunya maasam occurs, because they are considered inauspicious for the ceremonies. During this ceremony the future mother-in-law of the bride presents her with clothes, gold and also silverware, formally ending the engagement (Nischithardham).

Pellikuturu\Pellikodukuni cheyuta

In this ceremony at the bride and grooms' respective houses, all the relatives and well wishers gather and they smear them with turmeric paste (Nalugu - which is a mixture of flours and turmeric powder) and oils. This is done to cleanse their skin, so that a natural glow is radiated after they bathe. This is where the actual ceremony starts. They are given a new set of clothing to wear and are blessed that everything goes by well in the preparation. The bride is told not to go out of the town until the actual wedding ceremony.

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

This is a ceremony which helps in closing distances between both sides of the family, here the groom pretends to go on a Kaashi Yaatra. He says that he has discarded the worldly pleasures (such as marriage, relations and properties) and is no more interested in leading a family life. He is then stopped by the brother(cousins) of the bride, who persuade him to assume the responsibility of a house hold as in they tease each other quite a lot.

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. For details about Vedic rituals described below, see Vedic wedding.Telugu Brahmin wedding customs differ from the others,in addition to the rituals mentioned below their weddings start with Punyahavachanam,Nandishraddham,Mathrukapujanam etc.

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 for the bride and groom to be granted the wisdom 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. And the bride does the Gowri Pooja at the house with all her family members and relatives attending before going to the ceremony.

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. This is the actual muhurtham time if this ceremony is done all relax and complete the other ceremonies slowly.

As a part of Madhuparkam ritual, the bride dresses up in a white sari with a red border. The groom wears a white dhoti with a red border. White symbolizes purity and red represents 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 lamps on their respective plates. Rice represents abundance, while the lit lamps symbolize 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 bride’s neck. The mangalasootra represents the physical, mental and spiritual union of the couple. In the Telugu wedding, the groom 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 taking their oaths of caring, protecting, understanding , loving and guiding each other. During this the pallu (edge of the sari) of the bride’s sari is tied to one end of the groom's scarf (Kanduva).

Sthaalipaakam

Sthaalipaakam is a ritual where in the groom adorns the feet of the bride with silver toe rings. This also is believed that the man bends to the woman in order to claim her as his. Also in order to ward-off the evil eye, the bride is adorned by a string of black beads during the ceremony. These beads along with the silver toe rings symbolize that she is a married woman.

Post-wedding customs

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 closest relatives. The bride has to kick a vessel full of rice with her right foot across the doorstep while entering her new house, so that the rice spills over and falls on the ground. This symbolizes abundance of wealth with her coming into the family.

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 golden 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 sari.