Nischitartham (Engagement):-
This ceremony is performed to officially declare that the Groom and Bride are going to be married. An auspicious date and time (muhurtham) for the wedding is decided. This can be done by referring to the horoscopes. Bride's future mother-in-law will formally end the engagement by presenting clothes, gold, and Silverware.
Pelli Pandiri:-
The entire family takes part in this pre-wedding ritual, where a pandiri (a stage) is set up using the arati chettu (banana tree branches) at the houses of the groom and the bride.
Nalugu/Nalungu:-
Nalungu is a pre-wedding ceremony which usually starts before 5th or 3rd day from the marriage. This is one unique custom which is done within the bride/groom family by their own blood relations to eliminate the negativity (evil-eye) and to bring the positivity to the bride/ groom.
There are three nalungu to do.
1.Nalungu tray 1:- (oil bath)
• Gingelly oil
• Readymade shikhakai powder
• Tumeric paste
• Kunkumam
2.Nalungu tray 2:- (post oil bath)
• Turmeric paste, Kunkumam
• Garland ( to be honored by the uncle/ aunt)
• New dress (new saree for bride/ new set of clothes of groom)
• With Sweets and Flowers
3.Nalungu tray 3:- (actual Nalungu proceeds)
• Sandalwood paste
• Kunkumam
• Glass bangles
• Sweets
• And other 9/5 plates filled with flowers, sweets,and dresses from uncle/aunt.
Pelli Kuthuru - Pelli Kodukuni (Bride and Bridegroom):-
After nalungu, both were made as Pelli Kuthuru and Pelli Koduku. And they should not step out of house until the wedding.
Mangala Snanam:-
On the day of wedding, the bride and groom much take Mangala Snanam. The bath is believed to cleanse and purify them. And makes them ready for sacred rites that are to follow.
Kashi Yatra:-
As a pre-wedding ceremony, the groom pretends to go to Kashi and says that he has discarded the worldly pleasures such as marriage, relations and properties and he is no longer concerned on leading a family life.
Bride's brother (cousin) then stop him and coax him to assume the responsibility of a household and they tease each other quite a lot until the groom readily agrees to do it in the end.
Kanyadanam:-
It is the ceremony in which the girl's family hands over their daughter's responsibility to the groom.
The bride and groom are not allowed to look at each other and are separated by a curtain that is placed between them, as a partition.
Thereafter the bride's parents wash the groom's feet, as a gesture of respect because on the day of the wedding, the groom is considered as "Lord Vishnu Svarupam" or the incarnation of lord Vishnu who has come to marry their daughter who is considered as "Devi Lakshmi".
The groom is made to chant "Dharmeca Artheca Kamecha Moksheca Nati Carami" three times and assure the bride's father three times that he will remain her companion in joy and sorrow forever.
Panigraham:-
Panigraham means "holding hands". The groom holds the hand of the bride.
The mantras are spoken: "The Devas have offered you to me permitting that I may live the life of a householder (Gruhasta); we shall not part from each other".
JillakaraBellam:-
The priest hymn some slokas from the Vedas.
Henceforth they will give the paste made from Jaggery and cumin seeds to bride and groom and ask them to place the paste on each other's head. This procedure is known as the 'Jilakaraa Bellam'.
This express that the relationship of the couple is brass- bound and entwined. This ceremony should be done exactly at the marriage muhurtham time.
Changing of the bride's gotram from here parental gotram to groom's gothram happen on the mandapam in front of the groom and all the members attending the marriage.
From this time, the bride is no more belongs to her father's gotram and belongs to the groom's gotram.
As a part of the Madhuparkam ritual the bride wears the saree with red border and the groom wears the dhoti with red border.
White symbolises the purity and red represents the strength.
Mangalasutra Dharana:-
Mangalasutra Dharana means tying Mangalasutram. Mangalasutram is the holy thread. To perform the ritual, the partition between the bride and groom is removed. Then the groom ties the two strings of Mangalasutram, each with a golden disc (it depends on family, as some people will have two golden disc, other may have a plate like thing) around the bride's neck.
The Mangalasutram represents the physical, mental and spiritual union of the couple. In the Telugu wedding, the groom ties three knots of Manglasutram.
Talambralu:-
In Talambralu ceremony, the bride and groom exchange garlands.
Married people witnessing this occasion come forward to bless the couple, by sprinkling flower petals and rice coated with turmeric powder.
Saptapadi:-
As a part of the Saptapadi rituals, the groom and bride walk seven steps together around the fire, while taking their oaths of caring, protecting, understanding, loving and guiding each other.
The pallu (which means the edge of the sari) of the bride's sari is tied to one end of the groom's Kanduva (scarf).
Sthalipakam:-
Sthālīpākam is a ritual wherein the groom adorns the feet of the bride with silver toe rings. It is also believed that the man bends to the woman in order to claim her as his.
These thali along with the silver toe rings, symbolizing that she is a married woman.
After this, a decorated silver or terra-cotta vessel full of water is placed in front of the couple, and a ring is put in it. The groom puts his right hand in and the bride puts her left hand in and they fish for the ring.
They do this three times and whoever wins more often is supposed to be the dominant one in the marriage. This is a time of fun because water splashes everywhere and there are chants and shouts of support for both sides.
Arundhati Nakshatram:-
Arundhati Nakshatram is a ritual where the bride and groom are shown the stars representing Arundhati and Vasistha. These stars represent the perfect couple complimenting each other.
Appagintalu:-
Appagintalu takes place at the end of the wedding. This is when the bride is traditionally handed off to the groom and his family.
(These all happens in a telugu wedding, I'm sorry if I missed something. And I will upload photos of every rituals. Hope you enjoy it).
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