Culture, religion, language are the traits which defines the personality of a person. People ought to behave, talk and respond according to the grooming they have got in their native place. The development of a human mind reflects a major part of his social and political environments.

India is famous for its rich tradition, integrity, secularism, festivals, rituals, monuments, literature and many other things. Marriages in India are considered no less than a festival; they are celebrated with full bash and enthusiasm. The ceremonies, cultures, practices, style differ from community to community in case of matrimonies. If we see the number for the type of marriages, it will equalize the number of regions, religions or communities present in the country.

A region where marriages are considered as a step ahead in the spiritual development of a human being is Andhra Pradesh. The religion and the language practiced in the area is Telugu, these people also have a significant population in Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Pondicherry, etc. Telugus are hard working, intelligent people and are very particular about their cultural and religious practices.

Marriages as in every other religion are a great affair for Telugus also. They prefer marrying their children in the same community. Like a Brahmin prefers marrying his daughter in the Brahmin family only, inter-caste marriages are made only if exception arises. These people are mostly in the favor of sending their daughters in the friends or family circle, keeping it minimum to matrimonial advertisements.

A Telugu marriage comprises of a number of rituals which are performed before, during and post marriage. The Telugu Bride wears a saree of usually red or some other dark and vibrant color, while the groom wears a shirt and a south Indian dhoti in their auspicious style. Other than the wedding saree, the bride is beautifully decorated with gold and pearl jewelry with all the beautifications on her hair complimented by their traditional flowers. In case of a Brahmin groom, he is not supposed to wear a shirt at the time of marriage.

The various rituals followed before a Telugu matrimony is:

Muhurtam

This is at the very starting when the Telugu matrimony gets fixed, the date and the time for the marriage is decided during this ceremony i.e. mostly in the evening. The rites for the Telugu marriage are on the whole same as that of a Hindu marriage.

Pendlikoothuru

A ceremony where the Telugu Bride and the Telugu groom are applied turmeric and oil on their bodies; after taking bath they wear new clothes and then are blessed by the elders. This takes place two or three days before the marriage.

Snathakam

A ritual only for the Telugu groom, wherein he wears a silver thread on his body, just few hours before the marriage

Kadhi Yatra

It’s a custom where at the end of the thread ceremony, the Telugu Groom says that he has discarded all the worldly materials and is going to kashi, after which the Telugu Bride’s brothers have to request the groom to drop his decision of going to kashi and marry their sister. It’s an exceptional but quite entertaining ritual.

Mangala Snaanam

It’s a ceremony wherein the Telugu bride and groom take an auspicious bath on the day of their marriage at the time of dawn in their respective houses.

Gauri and Ganesh Pooja

After the auspicious bath, the bride and the groom worships the Gods, Gauri ji and Ganesh Ji respectively to earn their blessings.

At the time of the Telugu marriage

The Telugu marriage is different yet marvelous. The bride is carried by her maternal uncle in a bamboo basket till the place of wedding. According to the custom, the Bride carries a coconut, some betel leaves and betel nuts, a red pumpkin and sandalwood stick with her to the ‘mandap’. Till the time of the marriage, a separation is made between the bride and the groom with the help of a curtain so that they cannot see each other.

At the end of the marriage ceremony, the Telugu Bride’s parents washes the feet of the Groom as a symbol of respecting the groom as a God, which also means that they are gifting their daughter with a husband equivalent to God’s status.

Then the celebrations continue with post marriage rituals of greh pravesh, dance and cocktails parties.

Few useful links:

http://www.jeevansathi.com/

http://www.jeevansathi.com/matrimonials/telugu-matrimonial/