5 days of TELUGU WEDDING : Day 1,part1

India is a country where for every 10kms culture, traditions, lifestyle and language ( accent at least) change. I have always wondered about the amount and frequency of the Diversity found here. Take Marriage, for example, though it has an equal and undeniable significance in every part of of India, the rituals and customs considerably vary.

So, I wanted to dedicate few posts for my typical’ Telugu wedding ‘.  There are always region, caste, subcaste variations. We have important event schedule for 5 days.

MANGALA SNANAM :

The day started early by 6 in the morning. Before bath there was a small program called  KOTLAM in which all the female members of our family do something and sprinkle rice flour on heads of bride and her parents. In Kuladevatha which is the next program all the family Gods and Goddesses are invited for wedding .They are supposed to stay in house until released by another ceremony after marriage.

Mangala snanam resembles “Haldi’ of north Indian wedding ,only thing is this is a secret ceremony for women as the bride will be almost naked (aaaaa). Elderly women massage bride with oil and a specially prepared powder ( made of chana Dal  ,turmeric and few other ingredients) .This is a ceremony meant for bringing glow to the bride’s skin.Then they give oil massage to head and wash hair with soapnut (ritha).But these days everyone is using shampoos.

As I am very shy and adamant girl I did not allow any one to touch me or be with me ,my aunt managed to send everyone back and allowed me to do all the things by myself ;She stood outside the bedroom door and intermittently  shouted some instructions.

 

Bangle ceremony

One traditional bangle woman who descended from a bangle seller family is called home .She comes with a huge bangle collection mostly glass bangle (matti gajulu in Telugu ) .After doing some kind of Puja she will her self hand those bangles to me .Literally she will push bangles onto my arms.

 

We are supposed to wear only green bangles made of glass .

Then I need to give  green bangles to all the married female relatives .

 

During the ceremony there will be preparation of ‘Thalambralu’ .These are the yellow colored rice which bride and groom pour over other in a playful event . The same is used by elders to drop on bride and groom’s head during marriage as a part of blessing them.This is made by mixing turmeric powder and oil to rice.

 

The day is actually very long that i decided to dedicate two posts as i am getting exhausted.

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