The Telugu Hindu wedding ceremony (Telugu: ?????? ????? ?????, Telugu Viv?ha V??uka ?) is the traditional wedding ceremony of the Telugu people in India. In the 19th century, the ceremony could last up to 16 days (Padahaaru Rojula Panduga). In modern times, it can last 2 or more days, depending on the family's financial and social status. The wedding ceremonies depend on caste of the bride and groom. Each caste has its own customs with the upper castes engaging Brahmin caste for performing their ceremonies while lower castes engage non Brahmans.
Pelli or wedding considered the strongest of social bonds, is said to spiritually merge two souls opening the doors to "Gruhastaashramam" (household life). As per a Telugu saying, "marriage is supposed to be a family union and not an individual formality".
Telugu marriage is sanctified by seven pledges made by the bride and groom and commences when the bride and groom have completed seven revolutions around a sacred fire. Symbolic gestures and rituals encompass the ceremony and ensure that the bride and groom are united in the presence of Panchabhutaalu (Five essential elements for life) namely Bhumi (Earth), Akaasham (Sky), Agni (Fire), Neeru (Water) and Vaayuvu (air). The ceremony is held under the Ka?y??a Ma??apa? or wedding pavilion decorated with fresh flowers. "N?dasvaram" (also called Shehnai in North India) an Indian musical instrument traditionally accompanies most Telugu( Telugu is language- There are Telugu Muslims, Telugu Christians and In Telugu Hindus there are different castes with varied degrees of adherence to vedic Brahmin/Hindu tradition. Telugu Not a religion-Why is the author equating it to a religion) weddings.
Earlier groom rides an elephant to bride's place where wedding is supposed to take place. This process is called "Gajaarohana". Nowadays this tradition is fading out.
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.
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 kumkuma. It is also a tradition to eat ice cream or sweets after dinner because it is considered auspicious.
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Pre-wedding customs
The rich and varied cultural heritage of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh 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.
Ni?chit?rtham means engagement. The two families meet to perform rituals to make the engagement official. A muh?rta? (auspicious date & time) for the wedding is decided based on horoscopes. The Telugu people generally avoid the months or a time period where Aashaadham, Bhadrapadam and Shunya maasam occurs, because they are considered inauspicious for the ceremonies. The couple is then blessed by elders of both families, and is given gifts including jewelry and clothing by their new family. During this ceremony the future mother-in-law of the bride presents her with clothes, gold and also silverware, formally ending the engagement (Ni?chit?rtham).
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Wedding customs
The rituals conducted by the Telugu speaking people during the ceremonious occasion of wedding are different from those conducted in neighboring 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. Unlike other South Indian weddings, the muh?rta? in Telugu weddings does not take place in the morning, but close to midnight. Telugu Brahmin wedding customs differ from the wedding customs of the other Telugu communities. In addition to the rituals mentioned below, their weddings start with rituals common in South Indian Brahmin weddings like Punyahavachanam, Ni?chit?rtham, Matrukapujanam, etc.
As a part of Madhuparka? 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.
During Ma?ga?as?tra Dh?ra?a means tying Ma?ga?as?tra?. 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 Ma?ga?as?tra?, each with a golden disc, around the bride's neck. The Ma?ga?as?tra? represents the physical, mental and spiritual union of the couple. In the Telugu wedding, the groom ties three knots of Ma?ga?as?tra?.
Arundhati Nakshatram(??????? ????????):Arundhati Nakshatram is a ritual where Bride and Groom were shown Arundhati and Vashista stars. As these two stars represent perfect couple complimenting each other.'Bold text
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 Ma?ga?as?tra? takes place after a fortnight.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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