Telugu Hindu wedding
The Telugu Hindu wedding ceremony is the traditional wedding ceremony of the Telugu people in India. In the 19th century, the ceremony could last up to sixteen days. In modern times, it can last two or more days, depending on the family's financial and social status. The pelli or wedding is considered the strongest of social bonds, and is said to spiritually merge two souls opening the doors to gruhastaashramam.
Telugu marriage is sanctified by seven pledges made by the bride and groom and begins when the bride and groom have completed seven revolutions around a sacred fire. Symbolic gestures and rituals surround the ceremony and ensure that the bride and groom are united in the presence of panchabhutaalu —five essential elements for life, namely: bhumi, akaasham, agni, neeru and vaayuvu. The ceremony is held under a Kaḷyāṇa Maṇḍapaṃ or wedding pavilion decorated with fresh flowers. The Nādasvaram is an Indian musical instrument that traditionally accompanies most Telugu weddings.
Each element in the ceremony is connected and is given special importance. Historically, the groom would ride an elephant to the bride's home where the wedding is supposed to take place. This practice is called Gajaarohana. Today this tradition is declining. Some marriage ceremonies are held in a temple in the presence of god, but most 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. It is also a tradition to eat ice cream or sweets after dinner because it is considered auspicious. All the rituals conducted throughout the Telugu wedding ceremony hold religious significance.
The decorations mostly consist of rich colourful flowers and mango leaves. Families renovate their houses and invite all the guests going to each of their houses by the use of kumkuma.
Pre-wedding customs
The rich and varied cultural heritage of Telugu speaking people is reflected in the ceremonies conducted there. Almost all festivals are celebrated with religious observances, holding supreme importance in their lives.; Pelli Choopulu
; Niśchitārtham
; Pelli Koduku/Kuthuru and Kurallu
Wedding customs
The rituals conducted by the Telugu speaking people during the ceremonious occasion of the wedding are different from those conducted in neighboring southern states of India. In Andhra Pradesh, the Telugu people follow their own traditions while conducting 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 muhūrtaṃ in Telugu weddings do not take place in the morning, but close to midnight. Telugu Brahmins' 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, Niśchitārtham, Matrukapujanam, etc.; Maṅgala Snānaṃ
; Mangala Aarti or Hārati
; Snātakaṃ
; Gauri Pūja
; Groom Entry- Edurukolu and Kāśī Yātra
; Ganēśa Puja
; Bride's Entry and Terasala
; Kanyādānaṃ
; Paṇigrahaṇaṃ
; Jīlakarra Bellaṃ
; Madhuparakaṃ and Sumangaḷi
; Maṅgaḷasūtra Dhāraṇa
; Akshintalu or Talambralu
; Brahma Mudi and Nalla Pusalu
; Nagavalli and Saptapadi
; Sthālīpākaṃ
; Pradhanam
; Arundhati Nakshatram
; Appagintalu
Post-wedding customs
; Gr̥uhapravēśam; Satyanārāyaṇa Vratam
; Uniting the Maṅgaḷasūtraṃ