One auspicious day after the engagement ceremony, the bride’s and groom’s family will conduct the “Pasupu Kottadam” ceremony at their homes to mark the inauguration of the wedding festivities. Typically groom’s family will carry out this event first followed by the bride’s family. On this auspicious day, the entrance of the house is decorated with the Banana plantains and flowers.
Ganesh Puja is performed at the home in the morning. During the event, the groom’s mother / elderly female will offer the Thambulam and coconut to the grinding stone first. Then 5 elderly married women grind the turmeric roots in a grinding stone to the fine powder. This turmeric powder will be applied to the bride and groom during their ” Pellikoduku / Pelli Kuthuru” ceremonies afterwards. Also they prepare Vodiyalu during the event. Thambulam and bangles are offered to the guests after the event.
After this ceremony, both the families can start their planning and preparations for the wedding. Wedding preparations include purchasing wedding sarees for the bride, wedding outfits for the grooms, new clothes to be offered to the close relatives, gold jewellery, gold/ silver items to be offered to the bride/groom’s family. Each ceremony in the wedding festivities is connected to the other and has its unique importance.
Preparations & Shopping Checklist:
- Find out the auspicious day for the ceremony from the priest
- Invite the guests a day before the event
- Offer Gandham Pasupu to the guests
- Decorate the house
- Shopping list: Flowers, banana plantains
- Arrange thambulam sets for guests
- SL: Beetle leaves, bananas, somp packets, bangles
- Arrange these to grind the turmeric roots
- grinding stone, Rokallu
- SL: Coconut
Sonika Madala's Blog 