Every area of India has a unique set of traditional wedding ceremonies. Telugu weddings are somewhat similar to Tamil wedding rituals as both are from the South. But, a few distinctive details set apart a traditional Telugu wedding!
Focus on Spirituality
The traditional Telugu wedding places more of an emphasis on spirituality and subliminal symbolism than many Indian traditional weddings, which also include religious rites. Telugu weddings are notable for the subtle emphasis placed on spirituality rather than just religion.
Respect for Women
Each Telugu wedding is traditionally considered complete only if the women take part in the festivities. Telugu customs treat women with the highest respect and hold them in the same esteem as males when it comes to marriage and family life.
Dazzling Décor
The typical décor for a Telugu wedding will be eye-catching and jazzy, with many expected themes, including Tirupati Balaji and Shree as the backdrop for the ceremony. The bridal canopy is often lavishly decked out in “gold” and ornate, pretentious decorations. Another ostentatious event is Nischitartham, the Telugu equivalent of a ring ceremony. Typically, the Nischitartham ceremony’s grandeur is unmatched in terms of visual quality.
Unique Pre-Wedding Traditions
The bride and groom take their Mangal snaanam, a ceremonial bath or Mangala Snanam, the day before the wedding to symbolise the end of their single lives and the beginning of their wedded ones. After giving the bride a bath, the family’s ladies give Aarti to the gods. At her home, the bride worships Lord Ganesh and Goddess Gauri. She asks Gauri Mata for blessings so that she may enjoy a happy marriage. On the other side, the groom is required to wear the holy thread while being prepared for the wedding at his own home. Furthermore, the groom does a Ganesh puja to fend off any ill karma or evil.
The Bride in A Basket
The strange customs surrounding the bride’s entrance into the wedding hall is another distinctive aspect of a traditional Telugu wedding. In some sub-sects and groups of the Telugu people, a Telugu bride is escorted to the Mandapam by her maternal uncle in a wicker basket! It is very wonderful to see! A Telugu bride is carried into the wedding canopy by her family while seated in a large wicker basket and adorned exquisitely and appearing ethereal. The bride with beautiful Venis enters a bamboo basket while being carried by her maternal uncles. The groom is already sitting at the altar.
The scenario can be enjoyed as a throwback to a pleasant pastime. Yet, some forward-thinking Telugu brides have started to wonder whether this particular rite doesn’t objectify women in a patriarchal and oppressive way, portraying the girl as a piece of property being brought in as a gift for the husband. Yet regardless of this argument, such an odd spectacle does make a traditional Telugu wedding unique!
Sticky Blessings
The Jeerakalla-Bellamu ritual is another challenging and unusual aspect of the Telugu ceremonial. A curtain is erected between the bride and the husband once they have arrived at the Mandapam. The priest then starts reciting the auspicious wedding mantras. The bride and groom are then given a leaf with the stickiest mixture of cumin seeds, and sweet jaggery while facing each other but unable to see each other due to the curtain at that auspicious Muhurtham.
The curtain is then drawn back between them while the pair applies this sticky mixture to each other’s heads. Every traditional Telugu wedding includes this strange rite, which represents the couple’s unbreakable, eternal tie in the same way that the sticky, difficult-to-separate mixture of jaggery and cumin does. Even days after the wedding, the symbolism is still evident since the couple’s hair will continue to bear this odd reminder of their unbreakable tie for a few days.
The Colours of Madhuparkam
The bride must wear a typical Telugu saree with red borders, and the groom must wear a white cotton dhoti with red borders. This is the genuine traditional Telugu wedding costume for the bride and husband. The colour combination stands for purity, power, and desire. The bride is then wrapped with a mangalsutra, which the husband carefully binds in three knots to represent their tripartite unity on the mental, physical, and spiritual levels. The Fresh Flower Jewellery just adds to the beauty of the bride.
More Stuff on The Head
Another distinctive Talambralu custom involves the priest giving the bride and groom either a handful of pearls or a bowl of rice that has been blended with turmeric. Once the pearls or grains are put in, the pair cups their hands and holds it. Then, as a priest continues reciting the mystical chants, each simply pour it all over the other’s head.
The Long-Drawn Wedding
The Telugu wedding ceremony is also distinctive in that it is a very lengthy event that typically lasts for many hours or more. To keep the event alive and the guests entertained, numerous enjoyable diversions are integrated into the traditional Telugu wedding in between such drawn-out rites.
Fun Game of Dominance
The Telugu husband is expected to place a set of silver rings on his bride’s toes as the ritual draws to a close. Another illustration of the man claiming the woman as his wife is this. Another entertaining game is when the priest hides the couple’s wedding rings in a pot of coloured water at this point in the ceremony and instructs the pair to search for them. According to the tradition, the dominant spouse in a marriage is the one who finds the rings first after the pair simultaneously dips their hands into the pot.
In conclusion
As a result, a traditional Telugu wedding is an odd and unusual fusion of customs and culture, spirituality and religion, respect for women, and certain subtleties that seem patriarchal. It is also undoubtedly filled with joy, merriment, and beautiful colours. All of this distinguishes a traditional Telugu wedding from the majority of other wedding customs in the area. Please visit our site at Pelli Poola Jada and explore the amazing Telugu wedding decor and ritual items online at affordable prices.
