Reddy customs

Introduction

Reddys are a social group or caste predominantly found in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Reddy is an agrarian community that has diversified into various professions in recent years.The customs and traditions of Reddys are usually similar to those followed by other communities in Andhra Pradesh.

Marriage

The marriage rituals begin with a promise made by both families to each other that a wedding will be solemnized. After consultations with an astrologer, an auspicious day and time are fixed for the marriage ceremony and both the concerned parties draw up written contracts. These contracts are then placed in yellow cloth bundles along with betel leaf, turmeric, nuts and fruits and blessed by an officiating 'pujari'. In present days marriages between Subdivisions are allowed.

List of ceremonies

# Patrika: A marriage contract is drawn up by both families
# Nishchithartham: The engagement
# Vara Puja: A 'puja' is performed in honour of the bridegroom
# PenDlipilla or Haldipaspu: Ritual bath and beautification of the bride
# Vivaaham (Muhuurtham) : Commencement of the marriage ceremonies
# KankaNa Shaastra: Invoking the blessings of all the deities
# Kanyaadaanam: Giving away the bride
# Saptapadi: Seven steps around the sacred fire
# GruhapravEsham: The couple enters the marital home
# Reception: Post wedding celebrations ( evening of wedding day)
# KalyaNautsavam: A 'puja' in the Venkateshwara Temple in Tirupathi

Vivaham (older form)

The marriage ceremony among Reddies has changed considerably over the past two hundred years. Originally, the process started with the examination of the horoscopes of the bride and bridegroom to see if their respective stars agree astrologically. This is still done today in some conservative Reddy families. If the stars do not match, families may go so far as to cancel the marriage and seek another prospective bride or groom. If the astrological predictions are favourable, further examination is taken to appoint an auspicious date and time for the ceremony. During the celebration, there would be a presentation of danom (wealth or alms) to Brahmins, and a sadhya (feast). The bride and bridegroom would meet in the central room of the house, 'akshathe'-turmeric coated rice would be sprinkled on their heads. These proceedings essentially describe a basic Reddy marriage as was the custom about two hundred years ago. In addition to these general ceremonies, there are local variations.

In Telangana there is a Podamuri or Vastradanam ceremony. In this ceremony, the initial examination of horoscopes takes place at the house of the bride in the presence of the bride's and bridegroom's families. The astrologer writes his calculations and opinion on a piece of palmyra leaf and hands it over to the bridegroom's relations. If the horoscopes match, a day is fixed for the ceremony. This date is also written down and handed to the bride's family and to the bridegroom's relations. The astrologer and the bridegroom's party are then invited to a feast in the bride's house. The astrologer also receives gifts in the form of money or cloth.

Three to four days prior to the wedding date, the bridegroom visits his Family and caste-elders to receive permission to leave for the wedding. The bridegroom presents them with betel and nut and obtains formal sanction for the wedding. The bridegroom then proceeds, accompanied by a number of his friends to the house of his bride. He is received at the gate of the house by the bride's relations and is led with his friends, to seats provided in the main hall of the house. The bridegroom distributes gifts to all the Brahmins present. After this, the whole party is invited to take part in another sadhya. The astrologer then appears announces the auspicious hour that has been fixed and leaves after receiving his dues. The bridegroom is then taken by one of his friends to the padinitta (principal/western room of the house, where religious ceremonies are conducted). New clothes and betel leaf and nut, that the bridegroom's party has brought are placed in this room. The room will be decorated and turned into a bedroom for the occasion. In this room will also be placed a number of lighted lamps as well as the ashtamangaliam (eight articles symbolizing mangaliam or marriage). These are rice, paddy, the tender leaves of the coconut tree, an arrow, a looking glass, a well-washed cloth, a burning fire, and a small rounded wooden box. The bridegroom with his groomsman enters the room through the eastern door, while the bride, dressed in beautiful clothes and decorated with jewelry enters the room through the western door accompanied by her aunt or another elderly lady of the family. The bride stands facing east with the ashtamangaliam and lit-up lamps in front of her. The groomsman hands over to the bridegroom a few pieces of the new cloth and the bridegroom puts them into the hands of the bride. After this, the lady who accompanied the bride sprinkles rice over the lit-up lamps and over the heads and shoulders of the bride and bridegroom. The bridegroom then leaves the room to go to the thekina to present his elders and friends with cakes and betel leaf and nut. After the guests have left, the bride and bridegroom retire to the bedroom. Next morning a ceremony is conducted and the bridegroom's female relations take the bride to the husband's house, where a feast is held in honour of the occasion. After marriage, the bride remains in her own home, and her husband will often visit her, while remaining a member of his own home. The children, of course, will belong to their mother's home in accordance with the marumakkathaayam system.

Vivaham (newer form)

These days, a number of the individual ceremonies have been abandoned or condensed. However, one can still see elements of the older ceremonies in the new ones. Families may observe all or part of the following ceremonies. The first ceremony is the Vivaha Nischayam or simply Nischayam. In this ceremony, an astrologer is consulted to set an auspicious date for the wedding. Horoscopes may or may not be compared depending on the wish of the individual or their families. After both families consent to the marriage, the couple visits the bride's home. This meeting may be a simple affair, or a large celebration. During the celebration, there may be a Nisachaitharthum (ring exchange) ceremony. This ceremony may also be conducted later, during the actual vivaham ceremony. If it is done at bride's house, it is usually done around a lit nila vilakku (brass oil lamp).

On the evening before the wedding the families of both the bride and the broom, gather in their respective homes to bless them. On the day of the wedding, the bride and the groom will separately visit a temple near their homes. The temple can belong to any God except Lord Ayyappa or Lord Hanuman as they are bachelors. The bride's parents carry the mangalyasutram or taali, a necklace that is a symbol of eternal union, to be blessed by the priests. Upon returning home, the bride and groom touch the feet of the elders of the family and receive blessings. This is called Namaskaaram.

The actual wedding may take place in a kalyana mandapam (a hall rented for the occasion), temple, or hotel. The bride's family receives the groom's family at the entrance of the venue to the tune of nadaswarams (long wind-instruments) and the beats of the thayli (large drums beaten with curved sticks). The groom stands on a wooden plank while the bride's younger brother washes his feet. The bride's aunts perform aarti for the groom with a thaali (platter), on which are arranged wicks made of twisted cotton. The groom is then escorted to the mandapam (platform constructed to perform the wedding rites) by two rows of young girls. One girl carries the changala vatta (sacred oil lamp), while another carries the ashtamangaliya. The girls following the first two, carry the taala phuli (platters of rice, turmeric, and flowers on which oil lamps made of coconut shells are placed). With his parents on either side, the groom follows the girls around the mandapam and seats himself on the right side of the canopy, which is decorated by flowers, fabric, palm fronds, and banana stalks. The bride is then escorted by her aunt to the mandapam to the sound of the nadaswarams and thaylis. All those who are present on the mandapam stand when the bride arrives. She stands facing to the east, with the groom facing her. At the auspicious moment set by the astrologer for the muhurtham (the most auspicious time), the groom ties the thali around the bride's neck to the beating of drums. He is assisted by the bride's uncle because on no account should the thaali be allowed to fall. In some Reddy communities, the traditional thaali is a gold pendant strung on a yellow thread. The bride has to wear this for three days after the wedding ceremony. After the three days have passed, the thread is replaced by a golden chain.

After the tying of the thaali, the groom gifts the bride a sari and a blouse on a platter. This signifies that he will now assume the responsibility of providing for her. The groom's mother also gifts the bride with some jewelry at this time. The couple then exchange garlands accepting each other as life partners. The bride's father then places the bride's hand in the groom's, thus handing over his daughter to the groom in holy matrimony. The couple is then escorted to a room by their older relatives, who bless them. After the marriage ceremony, the bride gets a send-off from her house. The couple leaves for the groom's house escorted by a few people from the bride's family. The groom's mother and older female relatives perform aarti with an oil lamp (which rests on a platter heaped with rice mixed with turmeric) and receive them at the entrance. Both bride and groom enter the house, right foot forward. The bride is then required to kick over a large pot containing rice, symbolizing prosperity.

After the wedding ceremony a wedding reception may be performed if the families so wish.

Childbirth

"Seemantham" or "pulikudi" is performed when a woman is six months pregnant. On an auspicious day, after applying home-made ayurvedic oil with massage, a customary bath is carried out with the help of the elderly women in the family and then the family deity is worshipped, by invoking all the gods and goddesses. After that, a concoction of herbal medicines prepared in the traditional way is given to the woman. The woman will be dressed up in new clothes and ornaments used for such occasions. The family then offers a feast to all the relatives. The woman continues with the prescribed medicines until the child birth.

"Jananam" accompanies the birth of a child. The newborn is bathed. Gold rubbed on a stone with honey with 'vayampu' (a herbal medicine) is applied on the tongue of the newborn as the first food.