LATE ANNIVERSARY EDITION
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t started when they met- the hullabaloo surrounding their wedding; the fervour and the planning. It was not just any wedding! It was going to be the “Great Reddy Wedding of Pratyusha and Kiran Reddy” as suggested by the Facebook page that their friends made. Members were added, discussions began. Wedding dates were reviewed, rescheduled, and finally fixed. Light hearted discussions galore on dress codes, invites etc filled the pages! People just didn’t book tickets to come for the wedding, but also purchased entire wardrobes. And finally, the wedding week arrived. The excitement was palpable. But somehow it seemed like a gala get together of a bunch of enthusiastic happy people, rather than a formal wedding.The guests arrived to a frolicking night at ‘The Rain’ for the pre-wedding bash, where biriyani and booze fought for prime space along with the bride and groom.With the Pellikoothuru (“Getting the bride ready for the wedding”) ceremony amidst narcissus flowers entwined with ferns, loads of exhilaration, kurtas dazzling, bangles tinkling to nadaswaram and Pratyusha’s dog Dido ambling about dazed and confused, the wedding ceremonies officially began! The Mehandi and Sangeet followed, along with teen patti among the men, at the penthouse top. The shape shifting adda of the penthouse, reverberated to music that began mellow with a Mehandi Laga Ke, got peppy at a Kajra re and ended up raunchy when Munni Badnaam Hui! There were dances of all kinds- item numbers to garba- and this was proving to be one fun event, echoing with laughter! The wedding took place at Vasant Vihar in a grand scale, with a footfall of over a thousand! As traditional ceremonies declared them wedded for life, the friend junta resorted to their own wacky interpretations and mischievous asides and kept the assembly entertained. After a sumptuous lunch satiated appetites, the Ap-
paginthalu or “the send-off to the husband’s home” ceremony began. As bags flew across into car bonnets, to one beloved, to one you have seen make mistakes, grow up, hurt knees, bruise egos- the family parcelled some tears as a blessing and a gift. A grand reception followed at the groom’s place with a hilarious and goofy delay from the bride’s party adding to the frolic and changing the mood from sombre to celebratory, once again! And finally, what began as a serious sounding grand wedding, ended up as even better- as a much-enjoyed, fun and fantastic union of friends and family, where endless conversations, food, barks, music, dance, drama and laughter bore witness to the lovely marriage of Pratyusha and Kiran Reddy.
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ENGAGEMENT I AM GETTING MARRIED!! :D
Sent on 18th January 2011 on facebook.
Dear People,
It might come as a surprise to some of you and it might not to the rest of you… The news is, I AM GETTING MARRIED :D :D Yes yes I know .. Where? When? How? What the !@#$ ? So ladeez and jentlemen... Introducing... KIRAN... wait for it. REDDY :D :D orthopedic surgeon by profession... Fun guy to be with... after a month or so of “official courting”... we decided to tie the knot. We’ll be getting engaged in Feb and married in May... Official invites will follow... soon knowing this man and making decisions.... has no doubt been difficult and sudden and totally new for me... But had ultimate fun doing so... So if going off the market is now inevitable :P... I want to do it the fun way. Hope all of u (at least most of u) will be able to make it to the wedding and a host of events prior to it… and have super super fun. Love PP, PT, prat, peep
ENGAGEMENT
THE RAIN
THE RAIN
THE RAIN, REDDYS AND RAZMATAZZ The Reddys woohoo-ed in suavely into their pre-wedding bash named ‘Wine and Whine’. A private floor in The Rain was witness to the moves of the peppy couple and their friends. Dresses,flashy shirts, hats, ties and the people in them competed with the ambience in jazzing it all up.They boogied and dappankoothu-ed nonchalantly, quite a contrast to the attentiveness and hullabaloo while dressing up. The floor throbbed and pulsed to the beats and disco lights, the crowd moved along with it’s lightning flashes. Along came the cocktails to do their part in the already livened up party. Pratyusha and Kiran left no stone unturned in raising the spirits. Everyone toasted for the lovely couple and took to the spirits, the ones in the glasses too! Someone who reached a fun-filled crescendo with the drinks was the Best Man. He wooed with his moves and went berserk with joy till he could budge no more. So unhinged was the display of happiness that everyone had done their best in looking funny in the pictures. Them going through the images later was a party in itself with the ‘oh-my-god’s and ‘what-was-i-thinking’s doing their rounds. Too embarrassed to have realised their great potential in making faces. The photographer too did have the time of his life trying to keep up to the movers and shakers while clicking and bringing in the same liveliness to his pictures. Fun is all that was remembered and the rest, as they say, is history!
PELLI KUTURU
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uper excited :) :) :) This seriously has been the most exciting mail I have got informing me about your D-Day. I am sure this is gonna be a lot of fun, and great to capture! I am very happy for you, and sad too (as you are now going off the market)” It’s been nearly two years, since you sent the mail, informing about the ‘sudden’ engagement with Kiran. It feels like it was just yesterday! Both the times (engagement & the wedding),if I say I had fun, it would only be an understatement. It was THAT MUCH fun. The engagement at Chowmahalla Palace was literally an affair to remember. Those yellow shoes, the service apartment, those balloons, the friends, the relatives, the palace, the food, the party, the ringa ringa ringas, are all a part of some really happy memories I have! The wedding was even better. The terrace played the part of a hub, with every friend present to be included in the joy and happiness of the your family. If there was a time, when I decided, I should give my tummy some rest from the non-veg food, especially the Biriyani, it was after your wedding. Somehow every biryani I had after it, never matched up to its standard! I feel honoured to have been a part of this wedding, where the fun was wholesome. I am even more happy to have played my part in capturing some of those moments in the wedding, as well as the engagement. This Wedding-tabloid, finally has become a reality now, as a ‘belated-anniversary’ edition. Like they say, better late than never! - Maniyarasan R
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as the ambience this sizzling or did the effervescence blot out from the couple? Snugly draped by tradition, they perked up their vows with their quirks and pranksterlike affection. Pratyusha and Kiran Reddy peppered the wedding air with their effortlessly palpable chemistry and love for celebration, something they had in common other than the surname of course. Glints of laughter, colours of helter-skelter and last moment rushes gleaming in a strong ray of togetherness. A prism-like wedding, with many a shade. Radiant, vivid, unforgettable. Shades, moods and flicks of tresses made up a makeup trial for Pratyusha. Swishes of brushes and smoothened flecks of rouge, all tried and tested till the bride’s approving smile. Nadaswaram notes heralded the Pel-
likuthuru. The custom which is carried about daily till the wedding day and showers the bride with the blessings of married women in the family. Pratyusha strolls around, vivaciously bridal and unfazed around the unfamiliar excitement of tradition. She is enveloped by sounds. The music, the manthrams, crackling of freshly lit lamps and the prods of excited friends and family.The sounds soon give way to more colour. Kumkum is smudged on her forehead before rice is thrown across her shoulders and head.The crisp smell of turmeric wades into the festivity, as the sumangalis grind and prepare the Nalungu - a radiant mixture of flours and turmeric. With a jet-lagged little cousin playing Ganapathi next to her, Pratyusha glows golden like the colour of turmeric smeared on her.
PELLI KUTURU
The girls soon gathered for the Mangalaarthi as it pulsed with songs beseeching blessings from the divine. This was answered when the evening rain drizzling in later. The songbirds were handsomely rewarded. Pratyusha too was showered with gifts from friends and family. She soon had a whole new glimmery wardrobe of salwars and sarees around her
PASUPU KUNKUMA
PASUPU KUNKUMA
GORINTAAKU GORINTA POOCHINDI KOMMA LEKUNDA...
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he evening was slowly sparkling in. The women were packing a bag of goodies for the bride to take along to her new home. Koraals, or painted pots filled with rice were placed along to symbolise how her life should brim with prosperity like the bountiful pots. The Mehendi ceremony had begun amidst the freshly strung lights and flowers. Amidst the curtain of music and dance, Pranavi, the brides sister arrives. Pratysha is exhilarated and a joyous makeshift hug ensues with the Mehandied hands. Pratyusha’s family, friends and Pranavi scribbled in the quirky deviations in the patterns and wished the bride a togetherness that runs deeper than the dark blush of the Mehendi on her hands. The bride’s mother is dragged in to do a little dance in celebration. In the backdrop of the menfolk settling down to play Teen Patti in the terrace and Dido strutting around in wonder, arrangements were being made for the Sangeeth. Mattresses were laid around the dance floor, refreshments were being laid out and the playlist was being prepared. The music begins with the bride walking in, ravishing in her salwarkhameez. The bride suggests a graph for the playlist so that it moves from the ‘family peppy’ to ‘raunchy item numbers’. ‘Mehandi Laga Ke’ moved over to ‘Kajra re’ and then to ‘Bedardi Raja’ and ‘Munni Badnaam Hui’ only to end in a ‘I can’t hold it any longer’- the dances at the sangeeth got peppier as it went. Very much in sync with the bride’s plan. The NID garba made a prompt appearance too as everyone danced away into the night.
GORINTAAKU
The day-before-the-wedding-day opened with the Pellikuthuru ritual followed by the Mailapolu. This ritual would smear Nalugu on the bride, cleanse her and light up her natural glow. As the Nalungu draws out the inner glow of the bride, she is gifted new clothes - novelties to bless new beginnings. Rice and vermillion is abundant in the Gowri pooja. The women have the ends of their sarees tied with betel nuts and pass on pots of rice and vermillion. The chants are directed to Gowri or Parvathy, Lord Shiva’s spouse, to bless the bride to be. The priest chants on for the lord, the rivers and the seas to bless her and her husband with everlasting love and prosperity. And Dido barks right in the end, as if to signify the official end of the pooja.
PELLI ROJU SEETHA KALYAANA VAIBHOGAMAE...
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lowly, steadily and ceremoniously, the wedding day had finally arrived. The house was awake at the break of dawn. The bride was ushered in for the Mangalasnaanam. The auspicious bath to purify her for the sacred rituals she has to perform later on in the day. A painted coconut that read “Pratyusha weds Kiran” stood testimony to the bustling proceedings. As the fragrant agarbathi fumes dance out, the Sruthi box is tuned and the musicians set their music to the scampering and festive backdrop. While the bride peppily waits in the chamber, getting photos clicked with excited friends, the groom arrives in a dazzling red turban and a lovely golden chain. After the garlanding and respects, his shoes are stolen by the nieces and tucked away till the notes are shelled out. Everyone is surely reminded of a certain Bollywood film. No song and dance ensued but the grandeur was there all the same. With a lovely melamusuku on the head, a mookkupogu on
her nose, hair decorated with round chandramukhi ornaments, Pratyusha glows with the quiet twinkling radiance of a night during the day. Kiran’s sister walks in with a tray containing a lamp, a saree and jewels. Kiran’s mother accompanies her and helps Pratyusha wear the necklace- her first gift to her daughter-in-law. “Apart from her son,” a friend adds. Kiran performs the pooja with a seriousness and sincerity. Enveloped by chants and instructions, he moves along with careful ease. The bride steps into the mandap as Kiran performs the pooja. A prankster like smile plays on her face and Kiran reciprocates with just the same. Made for each other. ‘Let distances be as thin and fragile’ might have been the message when they were separated by only a veil with an ‘Om’ written on it, although she has secretly met his eyes from afar. A coconut is placed in Pratyusha’s hand, as Kiran holds it from below the veil. Milk, rice and water is poured over this while the prayers are being said.
PELLI ROJU
WEDDING
The bride and the groom clutch a paste of jaggery and cumin seeds in hand. The veil is slowly lowered to the chants of the Vedas as the muhurtham approaches. The priest then asks them to smear it on each other. They do so in great joy and infecting the crowd with their laughter. Jeelakarra-Bellamu - with the jaggery and cumin paste, a lifetime of togetherness is wished for the couple- as inseparable as the two ingredients themselves in the paste. The matrimonial thread , the Sutralu, each with a golden disc waits quietly amidst all the frolic. Vermillion is smeared and the sutralu is tied with the three knots marking the physical, mental and spiritual union of the couple. With howls and tears and blessings from the loving onlookers, Pratyusha and Kiran are now husband and wife. The moment is not frozen with this union and it is not let go without some fun. The Talambralu or games, follow the tying of the sacred thread. This denotes the couple’s desire for happiness, enjoyment and contentment. The couple begin with throwing the assortment of rice,beads and sparkles on each other. The enjoyment peaks to a crescendo when some well-spirited competition kicks in. Before long the ambience is throbbing with joy and glimmering with the strewn sparkles. They slowly and unknowingly settle down on the guests in whose hearts and minds the couple holds a similar glimmer. A serpentine queue lines up to click pictures with the couple and freeze the happiness in memories. The families brim with a relieved happiness of the ‘all-wentwell’ and exchange gifts. More festivities and wishes came and left. Pratyusha and Kiran stood mirthful in their happily-ever-after.
WEDDING
Pratyusha reddy aka reddy ... When I first met her., I thought she was enthu enough for 3 people combined. I later realized that it is true. Genuine, stupid, smart & dumb at the same time, contagious smile, and after you know her it is impossible to not like her. I cannot forget the number of times she has got drunk n i had to take care of her, i cannot forget the number of times we have sat at the lawns discussing stuff.. had the best time with her. I miss her being around.. She has been a part of my life since the second year of my life and I’m sure she will be for the rest. After 1 year of her marriage we still have a hangover! haha.. Have a happy life ahead Reddy.. love u.. -Harsha Raju
Here it is, in very simple wordsHer wedding was to be the first south indian wedding, that I was to attend. I was expecting some boring rituals. The engagement plan was huge. Had never expected that an engagement can be that huge. Chaumauhalla palace was just too good. It spelled 'grand'. Her engagement became the grandest function I have been to. That made the expectations for the wedding even higher. The people turned out in big numbers for it. The functions leading to it were amazing. They were upto the mark. The wedding was huge as well. It was grand yet it was fun. The friends and family together made sure things happened the way they should. With so many people around, it was never ending fun. And the best part - the food. The andhra meals were just not to be missed. Also, the wedding games were good fun to watch. :) -Ankur
What an amazing week it was! The wedding ceremony was for five days starting with the pre-wedding bash, pellikuthuru ceremony, sangeet, wedding and the reception. Mr. and Mrs. Reddy were the perfect hosts for the guests pouring in from all over the country. I have seen Pratyusha at different phases of life and this is the happiest she has ever been. The ceremony was grand, the venue was splendid, and the bride and the groom looked just perfect. Draped in a traditional crimson kanjeevaram saree with Georgette dupatta covering her hair, decked in jasmine flowers, scarlet mehndi on the hands and walking towards the mandapam blushing was the most beautiful bride ever. That is when it hit me that my best friend was getting married! - Gayatri
Wedding Reporter: Sandhya Ramachandran | sandhya321@gmail.com Re-narrator: Anoodha Kunnath | anoodha.kunnath@gmail.com | Telugu Title: Gokarakonda Sriraj Tabloid Design: Anisha Crasto | anisto_21@yahoo.com