There are many customs and traditions that Telugu marriage includes to honor the gods and bless the newlyweds during their wedding. A multitude of customs are carried out prior to the wedding in which both the families of the bride and groom and a long list of guests participate. Take a look at some of the interesting ceremonies that take place before the kanyadanam in the course of a Telugu wedding.

1. The compromise or Nischitaartham

Today, the Nischitaartham is celebrated many months before the wedding. Once the arranged marriage has been decided, the marriage date is set so that the couple can meet at a given time as a courtship period. This pre-nuptial ritual is where the couple gets officially engaged in the presence of their families. In South India, this ceremony begins with a Ganapati Puja to seek blessings from the gods. The promises are taken by the parents of the future bride and groom in an alliance proposal.

2. The Thread Ceremony or Snathakam

Just before muhurtham, this custom ensures that the eligible man wears a sacred silver thread on his torso. It takes place in a temple or at the groom’s house and is attended by all his relatives.

3. Fixing the date of marriage or Muhurtham

When both families agree, the union goes ahead and the wedding date is set. The Muhurtham is held to mutually agree on an auspicious date. Telugu marriages avoid the period of Aashad and Bhadrapada as well as Shunya according to the Hindu calendar.

4. the haldi

The ritual involves the application of scented oils and haldi to the couple. This ceremony is performed separately in each of their houses where they are anointed with turmeric by all their relatives. Then there is a bath after which they both wear new clothes. The bride-to-be usually dons a gold-edged sari with gajra (flowers) in her hair and a bindi.

5. In Puja Aarti

After the turmeric ceremony is over, the families of the couple perform aarti at their respective homes. They ask for blessings from deities and pray for the happiness of the couple.

6. Ganesh Puja for the groom and Gauri Puja for the bride

The groom performs the puja in honor of Lord Ganesha just before the marriage in the mandap. Elsewhere in the wedding hall, the bride engages in Gauri Pujan to seek the blessings of the deity.

7. The Custom of Jyothulu and Talambralu

This is when the entire family of the bride gathers ten married women to walk with the bride. While six of them carry puja thalis with the auspicious mix of rice, haldi and kumkum; others carry dishes with small diyas made from a mixture of rice flour that also includes sugar and milk. All this is symbolic because it means to bless the bride with lots of food and light in her married life.

All these ceremonies are joyfully performed by both families to ensure an auspicious start to the married life of the newlyweds.