Telugu Wedding Rituals

The nuptial ceremonies in this belief are full of symbolism and rich significance. They are similar to Hindu rites and lay a lot of emphasis on spirituality. The ceremony is tilted towards the wife who has a special status. She is the 'ardhangani', or soul mate. No rite can be performed by her husband in her absence. The ceremonies are conducted by a purohit or a priest. The event can take place anytime in the year except in the months of Aashad, Bhadrapad and Shunya because these months are considered inauspicious for such propitious occasion.

The sacred event is fixed at a particular time which is considered auspicious. It is called the 'muhuratam.' Then the couple is applied with oil and turmeric. They are then asked to take a bath and soon later wear a new set of clothes. The bride to be wears flowers in her hair, bindi or vermillion on her forehead and bangles on her wrists. The bridegroom has to wear a silver thread around his body as a part of the respective tradition.

Vedic passages are read out during the course of ceremonies. Then the bridegroom does a mock play of leaving for Kashi, to devote himself to God and spend his life in prayer in his dedication. He carries a walking stick and few Spartan essentials of life and threatens to renounce the world. He is then persuaded by the bride's brother not to leave. Finally the bridegroom relents and agrees to not go and take up his family responsibilities. The bride and the bridegroom then take a sacred bath and then they are considered ready for holistic knot.

Various poojas are conducted like the 'Aarti' and the 'Gauri pooja.' The bride's father then gives his daughter in marriage in an elaborate ceremony known as the 'kanyadaan.' The ceremony is done where a curtain is placed between them and they are not to see each other. When the rites are over the bridegroom is accepted by the bride as a form of God and the bride's parents hand over their daughter to them.

The bride wears a mangalsutra around her neck. This signifies that she is a married woman who belongs to another man. It is a symbol of a woman's marital status and she is supposed to die rather than part with it. This is a common feature of all Hindu traditions and Telugu ceremonies have also borrowed a leaf from them.