Indian Brides

In the Telugu culture, marriage is interpreted as a sacred step in spiritual growth. The wife is considered to be the “ardhangini” (literally meaning 'half of the body'). She is considered the other half of her husband. No religious ritual or prayer can be performed by a man without his wife, as he is incomplete with his spouse.

The telegu bride is usually dressed in a red or bright coloured sari which is considered auspicious. Gold jewelry compliments her attire and flowers beautifys her hair. In Hyderabad the brides usually wears pearls on her wedding day.

The grooms wears a kurtha suit or a normal western suit in any colour that compliments the brides sari.

Prenuptials:

Muhurtam: This is a ceremony where an auspicious time for the wedding is decided. A Brahman (preist) is consulted who establishes this by using astrology. Telegu weddings usually take place in the evening (between 7 and 11 pm).

Pendlikoothuru: Pendlikoothuru is done a day or two before the wedding. This ceremony takes place at the bride and the groom’s respective homes. They are smeared with tumeric and oil as part of a cleansing ceremony by married women in their families. Married women are used in this ceremony because the bride seeks blessing of marital bliss from these women. The bride usually rewarded them with the betel leaves, sweets, flowers and bangles. Contemporary brides are gifting little memorabilia’s or trinkets. The bride generally wears a saree, has flowers beautifying her hair and bangles adorning her hands.

Snathakam: This significant ritual that takes place a few hours before the actual Muhurtam (auspicious time for the wedding ceremony). It involves only the bridegroom as he has to wear a silver thread on his body.

Mangala Snaanam: This is when the bride and groom has a bath in their respective homes early the morning of the wedding. This bath is considered auspicious as it implies purification of one's physical self before proceeding for the marriage rituals.

Aarti: This is when the bride and groom has oil applied on them by family members and arthi is turn around them. It is believed that this ritual wards off evil and safeguards the couple against bad planetary influences, bad omens and other evils.

Gauri Pooja: This ritual is performed exclusively by the bride. She worships goddess Gauri. Goddess Gauri is the Mother Durga who symbolizes divine feminine power, energy, fertility, etc.

Ganesh Pooja: This paryer is done by the groom. When the bride is performing the Gauri Puja, the groom at the same time performs the Ganesha puja. Ganesha puja done to endure that the wedding ceremony is performed successfully with the blessings of Lord Ganesha, as He is the remover of obstacles.

Wedding rituals

Kanyadaan: The bride adorned in a bright coloured saree, precious jewellery and flowers in her hair carrying betel leaves, betel nuts, a coconut, a sandalwood stick and a red pumpkin is escorted down the aisle by her mama (maternal uncle). A white curtain is placed between the bride and groom ensuring that they do not see each other until the wedding ceremony is complete.
The parents of the bride then wash the grooms feet with water. This signifies that the groom is as a form of God (Lord Vishnu). The giving away of a daughter in marriage to him is regarded as gifting the most loved possession of yours to a groom who will be worthy of her and attain the qualities of Lord Vishnu himself.

Mangalsutra: This is a gold chain or thread which the groom adornes the bride with. He uses three knots to secure the Mangalsutra. It is believed that Nadaswaram music (Indian flute) wards off evil and eliminates negative vibes, hence this music is especially played when the grooms ties the mungalsutra for the bride.

Kanya Daan Akshata: A the conclusion of the Mangalsutra ceremony, the bridal couple also garlands each other with flowers. This signifies the bonding of two souls. Family members and friends shower the bridal couple with flower petals, blessingthem with marital bliss.

Saptapadi/Seven sacred steps

Saptapadi ceremony is when the bridal couple takes seven sacred steps together around the fire. In each round they utter mantras which add to strengthen the marriage. As they take the pheras/steps, the bride's saree and groom's dhoti ends are tied into a knot, signifying the sacred unification of the couple.

Rituals After Marriage - Griha Pravesh

Griha Pravesh is rituals performed when the is a bride enters her new home for the first time as the new daughter-in-law. On the 16th day after the wedding two mungalsutras are united on a common thread, with a few black or golden beads between the two plates, so that they do not clash with each other. This denotes love and peace between the two families. 16 is considered a divine number in Hinduism and 16 days are symbolic of the time period that the bride has taken to adjust into her new lifestyle with her new family. A on the 16th day the bride is wears a new new sari and her husband then unites the two mangalsutras on a common thread, combining the two into one chain or thread.