Pre-wedding customs

The rich and varied cultural heritage of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh of India, is reflected in the ceremonies
conducted there. Almost all festivals are celebrated with religious observances, holding supreme importance in
the lives of the state's residents.

Niśchitārtham (నిశ్చి తార్ థం)

Niśchitārtham means engagement. The two families meet to perform rituals to make the engagement official. A
muhūrtaṃ (auspicious date & time) for the wedding is decided based on horoscopes. The Telugu people
generally avoid the months or a time period where Aashaadham, Bhadrapadam and Shunya maasam occurs,
because they are considered inauspicious for the ceremonies. The couple is then blessed by elders of both
families, and is given gifts including jewelry and clothing by their new family. During this ceremony, the
bride's future mother-in-law presents her with clothes, gold and also silverware, formally ending the
engagement (Niśchitārtham).[3]

Snātakaṃ (స్నా తకం)

Snātakaṃ means "graduation" or "Bath Graduate" or "Post graduation". It is usually performed before
householder responsibilities are handed over to the groom.[2] Snātakaṃ ritual takes place at the
bridegroom’s residence before the muhūrtaṃ. As a part of this custom, the groom is asked to wear a
silver thread on his body. The ritual is conducted a few hours prior to the wedding.
Kāśī Yātra (కాశీ యాత్త)
Traditionally, after Snātakaṃ, the groom will be eligible for higher studies and eligible to go to Kashi
and study further or become Sanyasi. However, 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 is no longer interested in leading a family life. He will then be stopped by the brother (cousin) of the
bride, who persuades 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.

Wedding customs
The rituals conducted by the Telugu speaking people during the ceremonious occasion of the wedding are
different from those conducted in neighboring southern states of India. In Andhra Pradesh, the Telugu people
follow their own traditions while conducting a wedding. The bride’s maternal uncle and her brother play a
prominent role at the time of her marriage. Unlike other South Indian weddings, the muhūrtaṃ in Telugu
weddings do not take place in the morning, but close to midnight. Telugu Brahmins' wedding customs differ
from the wedding customs of the other Telugu communities. In addition to the rituals mentioned below, their
weddings start with rituals common in South Indian Brahmin weddings like Punyahavachanam, Niśchitārtham,
Matrukapujanam, etc. [4]

Maṅgaḷa Snānaṃ (మఙ్ళ గ స్నా నం)

As a part of Maṅgaḷa Snānaṃ custom, the bride and groom are required to take an auspicious bath on
the wedding day. The aim is to purify them and make them prepared to perform sacred rites. This bath is
called Abhyangana Snānam
Bridal Makeup
In this ceremony at the bride and groom's respective houses, all the relatives and well-wishers gather and
they smear them with turmeric paste (Nalugu - which is a mixture of flours and turmeric powder) and
oils. This is done to cleanse their skin, so that it radiates a natural glow after they bathe. This is where
the actual ceremony begins. They are given a new set of clothing to wear and are blessed that everything
 goes by well in the preparation. The bride is told not to go out of town until the actual wedding
ceremony.
Aarti or Hārati (హార్తి)
Oil is applied to the bride and groom at their respective houses. Thereafter, the family members get
together to perform Aarti. They pray for the bride and groom to be granted the wisdom to lead their lives
happily.[5]
Ganēśa and Gauri Pūja (గణేశ పూజ ; గౌరీ పూజ)
Before the wedding ceremony, the groom attends the Ganesha and Gowri pooja, which is conducted at
the maṇḍapaṃ. And the bride does the Gauri Pūja at the house with all her family members and
relatives attending before going to the ceremony. It is during this time that Pravara a ritual of changing
the Bride's gotram (clan) from her paternal gotram to that of the Groom is performed. Elderly couples
from both families are required to attend and witness the Pravara while the bride is performing Gauri
Pūja.
Kanyādānaṃ (కన్యా దానం)
Kanyādānaṃ is the ceremony in which the girl’s family hands over their daughter’s responsibility to the
groom. During the ceremony, the bride sits in a bamboo basket. Her maternal uncle brings her to the
maṇḍapaṃ. Until the completion of the Kanyādānaṃ, 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 wedding the bride
groom is considered as "Lord Vishnu Svarūpaṃ" 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 "Dharmēca
Arthēca Kamēcha Mokshēca Nāti Carāmi" three times and assure the bride's father three times that he
will remain her companion in joy and sorrow forever.
Paṇigrahaṇaṃ (పాణిత్గహణం)
This means "holding hands". The groom holds the hand of the bride. The Mantras is spoken: "The Devas
have offered you to me in order that I may live the life of a householder (Gruhasta); we shall not part
from each other."
Jīlakarra Bellaṃ and Madhuparkaṃ (జీలకత్ాబెలం ల ; మధుపర్క ం)
The priest recites the ślokaṃs from the Vedas. Then the couple is asked to place a paste made from
cumin seeds and jaggery on each other’s head. This custom is referred to as Jīlakarra-Bellamu. This
ceremony is observed to communicate that the married couple's relationship is unbreakable and they
are inseparable. This is the actual muhūrtaṃ time. The ritual (Pravara) of changing bride's gotram is
once performed again on the marriage dais in the presence of the groom and everyone attending the
ceremony. Henceforth, the bride no longer belongs to the father's gotra, but now belongs to the groom's.

As a part ofMadhuparkaṃ ritual, the bride dresses up in a white sari with a red border. The groom wears a
white dhoti with a red border. White symbolizes purity and red represents strength.

Sumangaḷi (సుమంగళి)
Ten married women (Sumangaḷi) accompany the bride. Six of the ten women hold plates containing
sacred rice (a mixture of rice and turmeric powder), while the rest of them hold small lit lamps on their
respective plates. Rice represents abundance, while the lit lamps symbolize light.
Maṅgaḷasūtra Dhāraṇa

Maṅgaḷasūtra Dhāraṇa means tying Maṅgaḷasūtraṃ (holy thread). In order to perform the ritual, the partition
between the bride and groom is removed. Then the groom ties the two strings of Maṅgaḷasūtraṃ, each with a
golden disc, around the bride’s neck. The Maṅgaḷasūtraṃ represents the physical, mental and spiritual union of
the couple. In the Telugu wedding, the groom ties three knots of Maṅgaḷasūtraṃ.

Akshitalu (అక్షంతలు)
 In the Akshitalu or Talaṃbrālu 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 (సపతపది)
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. Only in a Telugu
brahmin marriage the pallu (edge of the sari) of the bride’s sari is tied to one end of the groom's scarf
(Kanḍuva).
Sthālīpākaṃ (స్థస్నథపాపాకం)
Sthālīpākaṃ is a ritual where in 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. Also in order to ward-off the evil
eye, the bride is adorned by a string of black beads during the ceremony. These beads, along with the
silver toe rings, symbolize that she is a married woman. After this, a kunḍa (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. Also, the
bride is made to cook (a namesake meal) on the sacred flame of the Agnihōtraṃ, symbolizing she is now
responsible for taking care of the health of her husband and family.
Arundhati Nakshatram (అరంధతి నక్షత్తం)
Arundhati Nakshatram is a ritual where bride and groom are shown the stars representing Arundhati and
Vasistha. These stars represent the perfect couple complimenting each other. Mizar and Alcor are two
stars forming a double star that can be seen with the naked eye in the handle of the Big Dipper (or the
Plough) asterism in the constellation of Ursa Major. Mizar is the second star from the end of the Big
Dipper's handle, and Alcor its faint companion. Alcor is recognized as Arundhadi.
Appagintalu (అపప గంతలు)
Appagintalu takes place at the end of the wedding. This is when the bride is traditionally handed off to
the groom and his family.

Post-wedding customs
Gr̥uhapravēśam (గృహత్పవేశం)
After the culmination of the wedding ceremony, the bride is formally taken to the groom’s house. This is
called Gr̥hapravēśam of the bride. As she steps into her new home, she is welcomed by the groom’s
family members, including his mother and closest relatives. The uniting of Maṅgaḷasūtraṃ takes place
after a fortnight
In karanam caste ,the consumation takes place depending on tidhi,usually after a gap of one day. Havan
puja is performed before the time fixed for physical consumation of the marriage.
Satyanārāyaṇa Vratam (సతా న్యాయణ త్రతం)
Satyam means "truth" and Narayana means "the highest being" so Satyanārāyaṇa means "The highest
being who is an embodiment of Truth". The Satyanārāyaṇa Vratam is very popular in Andhra Pradesh
India. Satyanārāyaṇa Vratam is performed by bride and groom after Gr̥hapravēśam in the groom's
residence. This pūja (ritual) is first mentioned in the Skanda Purana, Reva Kanḍa by Sūta Mahāmuni to
the r̥shis in the Naimisharaṇya (ancient forest). The details are part of the Katha ("story") that is usually
read after the pūja. The Satyanārāyaṇa pūja/vratam can be performed on any day except on the new
moon.

Tying the mangalsutra at Telugu wedding ceremony.

Uniting the Maṅgaḷasūtraṃ
Gr̥uhapravēśam is followed by a ceremony, wherein the Maṅgaḷasūtraṃ is united. As a customary, the
Telugu speaking people unite the two Maṅgaḷasūtraṃs (which was tied by the groom around the bride’s
neck), on a common thread. This ritual is done sixteen days after the wedding. This ritual can be
performed by either the groom or an elderly member of the family. A few black or golden beads are
slipped between the two 'plates' of the Maṅgaḷasūtraṃ, so that they do not clash with each other. The
unison of Maṅgaḷasūtraṃ signifies the harmony between the two families. After the ceremony is over,
the bride takes a bath and wears a new sari.