Pelli Koduku and Pelli Koothuru ritual is a custom in Telugu wedding where the boy and girl's hair is oiled and are bathed by elders. After the bath, they are given new dresses and their foreheads are adorned with Kalyana Thilakam.
For the Groom, the Kalyana Thilakam will look more like Venkateswara swamy's Naamam and the bride's though similar, will have a dot below signifying it as Lakshmi's thilakam.
This is done as the bride and Groom are considered to be the Lord Narayana and Goddess Lakshmi themselves. Once they are properly made bride and groom, they are not allowed to eat last day's food, they are not supposed to do any work that involves getting dirty. they are considered as pure as the god and are respected so.
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Parthavi was groggily getting ready for the Pelli Koothuru event. Last night she was surrounded by her family women and confronted for meeting Raghunandhu like that, for which later Parthavi ran around chasing her three musketeers for getting her into trouble.
She brushed her teeth and came down wearing one of her old sarees. Once she was down, Prabha, Shakti, Swarajyam and other elderly women surrounded her and made her sit on a small chair. Bhoomi adjusted Parthavi's saree such that it will be easy for people to oil her and apply turmeric on her.
"Hey.. What are you doing?"
"Be quiet Parthavi.."
Prabha said and it was a unison decision that Swarajyam will be the one to oil Parthavi first being the eldest married women.
Swarajyam took some kumkum and kept it on Parthavi's forehead and then applied the powdered turmeric on her cheeks.
"Me Amma Nana kadupu sallaga, ninnu pelli koothuru ga choodalani aasapadda mee Avva thathalu kadupu sallaga, Nuvu velle inti deepam ayi, mogudu ki manchi thodu needavayi, aa illu kalakalaladedatu kaapuram cheyyali. Shatamanam Bhavati."
She blessed her as she applied a handful of oil on Parthavi's head.
"Peddamma.. The list is too long!"
Parthavi said and got a smack from Prabha.
"Be quiet. And remove your blouse and wear your saree around like when you wear to bath in public. And go up to the terrace."
Prabha said and went on about arranging the necessaries for her bath. Parthavi went up as said and got ready as instructed and sat on the bathroom stool that was kept there in the middle of a makeshift bath area done with Sarees like a screen. Prabha came with the rokali and turmeric paste and shikakai Kunkudukai powder and other perfumed items for her to bath. Swarajyam took a good amount of pasupu, the turmeric they powdered the previous day and applied on Parthavi's cheeks making her wince at the chillness.
"Peddamma.. Its cold."
"Shall I mix it in hot water and bring?"
Swarajyam asked and before Parthavi can nod her head in a YES, her mother gave her a smack.
"Amma?"
"Amlu.. Be quiet. These are padathi. This is how they are to be done."
Swarajyam chuckled.
"Vadileyandi Prabha. She is a kid!"
"Kid? She is getting married Akka garu."
"That doesn't change the fact that she is the kid of this house. Once she gets married, even if we ask, we will not get these back. Manam anukunna ee muchatlu manaku andadhu Prabha. So enjoy."
Saying Swarajyam started applying pasupu on Parthavi's palms and back and her calves. Then she kept kumkum on her forehead and clicked her fingers smiling.
Prabha came and also kept Nalugu to Parthavi and turned smiling to hide away the tears that were threatening to fall. Soon all the elders kept Nalugu to Parthavi.
Next Bhoomi came and just as Parthavi closed her eyes and tried to move away scrunching her face, Bhoomi smeared the Turmeric all over her face and laughed as Parthavi grunted.
"Bhoomi!"
"What? Remember how my face was when you did the same to me?"
"It was beautiful later."
"Yours will also be. So now, Revenge time! GIRLS!"
And all the girls smeared Parthavi with Turmeric making her squeal and soon the place was filled with laughter.
There, in the Vididhi, the men surrounded Raghunandhu who was in white shorts and vests was looking around bewildered making Bhargava and Rishi laugh.
"Nanna Nandhu.. There is no need for that look. We are not doing some Kaalika Devi ritual."
Durga said asking Gunamba to start applying turmeric on Raghunandhu.
"Amma.. It will be cold!"
"Rei Pandu! Shut up and sit!"
"Bhargava.. Nandhu is getting married."
Durga said hiding her smile
"So? He is still my younger brother."
"Abba.. Says the man who doesn't like to be called Sunnunda after marriage!"
Giggled Mahika. And seeing Bhargava's angry face, she laughed angering him more.
"Who likes to be called that? Do I look round like one?"
Bhargava asked.
"You did once Nanna.."
Durga said and laughed along with everyone else and Bhargava couldn't be angry anymore.
Gunamba happily applied sandalwood and turmeric paste mix on Raghunandhu who scrunched his face making everyone laugh. Vedmohan who saw his opportunity, clicked a pic silently and sent it to Bhoomi. Bhoomi, Harshita and Ishaani who saw this, giggling, clicked a pic of Parthavi in reply making Vedmohan do a mental jig earning him a glare from Sathya.
Amongst all the laughter and giggles, the bride and groom were bathed with sieved plate and there Parthavi's hair was thoroughly washed and then they were let to bath in privacy.
Parthavi after a nice bath came out towel drying her hair and went to the bags in the bride room and took her mobile to see her wallpaper.
"What and all should I go through to get married to you Moddhu. I will seek my vengeance!"
She said to herself.
But she could not help her smile as she remembered how tender Raghunandhu was while handling her and her jitters. Thinking of him, she took her saree pallu and pinned it to her shoulder letting her pallu float. It was a beautiful yet simple white and pink striped bordered plain saree with matching pink blouse. Wearing it, she came downstairs.
She frowned seeing a gang of girls giggling over something.
"Ahem Ahem.."
She cleared her throat and raised her brow. Priyanka gave a sheepish smile and others followed the suite.
"Hey.. Parthavi."
Said Rashika and again everyone followed her.
"Haiyaa... Your faces are looking like you all drank castor oil!"
Parthavi said and everyone looked even more sheepish.
"What is that you all are giggling about?"
She asked and everyone looked at Bhoomi. Bhoomi looked at Ishaani and Ishaani looked at Harshita who in turn looked around everywhere.
"Bhoomi.. Give me your Mobile."
Parthavi asked knowing the culprit.
"I dont have. Ask Harshu."
Bhoomi pointed to Harshita who had wide eyes.
"Yehe.. I don't have. My mobile is with Matheysh."
And all eyes turned to Ishaani who gave the mobile to Parthavi amongst the glares.
"I know that this mobile is Bhoomi's and how it came to Ishu. Ishu is paapam. She doesn't know to act like you people."
Parthavi said as she opened the mobile with the pin which she knew very well.
"Parthavi. You are my darling."
Ishaani said as she took the bowl of tomato pickle from Parthavi.
"Osei. You got us caught for a bowl of Pickle?"
But Ishaani was already having her pickle and did not care for anyone else.
Here Parthavi looked at the reason for giggle and she herself started laughing.
There Raghunandhu came out wearing his shorts and saw his Brother In Law Rishi waiting for him.
"Bava?"
"I am given the duty of making you wear the Panche.
"Is that necessary?"
"Order from the highest."
Rishi said opening the cotton Panche. After making sure that the Panche was tightly held on Raghunandhu's waist, he took one end and pleated it.
"Idigo Bammaridi. Put this through your legs and insert it on one side from behind."
"Process is looking difficult."
"Explaining and doing it for another person is even difficult my dear Bavamaridi. Just follow the instructions. Now bring this end to the front by taking one round from between your legs."
Raghunandhu understanding Rishi, did as asked. Rishi pleated the other end too and gave it to Raghunandhu who looked like he was being made to watch a R rated movie.
"Insert this in the front in the middle. Nee bottu ki pakkana."
"Bava, ladies only have this naval concept anukunna. We too do?"
"Yes. We do and don't let your sister know that I told you. Ladies just like us, have a weakness for men in traditional wear. That too ila bottu ki mundu, Madatha patti pancha katukuna magallu ante, they go crazy."
"Experience ah Bava?"
"Yeah. Of 7 years."
"Akka has trained you well."
"Yeah.. give all the credits to her."
Raghunandhu said laughing as Rishi adjusted Raghunandhu's Panche pleats. Both men were unaware of a culprit standing outside and telecasting this.
Parthavi signalled to Sathya who came away with her mobile and unmuted the call.
"Enti Parthavi. Saw the Sheshtalu of your husband to be?"
"Oh yeah. Poor thing is struggling with Panche but doesn't leave a chance to pull his bava's legs."
"Hahaha.. Yeah. By the way did you see the picture Vedmohan sent?"
"What picture?"
"This is Bhoomi's mobile only na? Check the gallery. You will know."
Saying Sathya cut the call as she had to go for some work.
Frowning she opened the gallery and started smiling as she browsed through the pictures of Raghunandhu sitting there getting smeared in Sandalwood and turmeric paste with scrunched face.
Quickly she forwarded the pics to her mobile and messaged Sathya to send the video too if possible. And soon she got that too. But before she could do anything, she was called by the elders.
She was made to sit on a chair and her hair was plaited neatly and then decorated with lots of Jasmine flower and many other too.
Prabhavathy came and kept the kalyana thilakam on Parthavi's forehead and clicked her fingers around her head and kept a black dot of kohl on Parthavi's cheek after showering Akshada on her.
"Amlu, You are a Pelli Koothuru now,equal to Mahalakshmi. You will become someone's wife now and be responsible for his life too. So behave accordingly. You are not supposed to go out or eat last day food."
"As if she does eat athaiyya."
Bhoomi said earning a smack from Parthavi.
"Amlu.. Just now I said.. Behave! Bhoomi.. You know what I meant. She is not supposed to eat all those non sense food from outside. Even chocolate."
Prabhavathy admonished Parthavi who glared at a laughing Bhoomi.
"Revenge time!"
Ishaani, Harshita, Bhoomi, Tasha, Lakshya, Anbumozhi, Priyanka, Rashika and all the girls including Mitra took a bar of chocolate and started eating it irritating Parthavi and making everyone else laugh.
There Raghunandhu was getting restless as he was made to sit in a chair. Gunamba kept Kalyana thilakam on Raghunandhu's forehead making him the Pelli koduku, the groom and both Dharmaraju and Gunamba blessed him by puing Akshada on his head.
"Salla ga undu nayna. No evil eyes should touch you"
She said as she adorned his cheek with a black dot of Kohl to ward off evil eyes.
Everyone around started clapping their hands and singing.
"Anandham anandham aayene..Maa Raghunandhu pelli koduku aayene."
Raghunandhu's ears became so red that Vedmohan and Bhargava started fanning his face making him go more red. Durga lauged.
"My Nandhu is a pelli koduku now."
Durga said clicking her fingers around her head. Seeing his mother, Raghunandhu became the small kid again and hid his face in her saree making the place erupt with laughter again.
"Rei. Stop hiding in my Kongu. You are going to get fresh Kongu to hide behind. Then I will see."
"Amma.."
Raghunandhu chided and Durga chuckled.
"Nandhu, remember, you should always take care of your wife just the way you care for me. She is the one who is going to take you further in your life from now on."
"I will Amma.."
"And now that you are Pelli koduku, Mahavishnu Amsam, you should not drive, eat last day food. In simple words, do not go out and stay at home."
"Mari Bava ki facial?"
Vedmohan asked. Durga who knew this plan earlier looked at Vedmohan.
"Why else you are there. Take your Bava to the parlour and bring him back safely. Or even better, get urban clap and call the person here for facial, bleach, painting, concealing and whatever. "
"Vesara driver duty naaku.."
Vedmohan chided but smiled and then grinned seeing Raghunandhu's fallen face.
"Amma, We have to take Parthavi for facial, waxing and etc."
Rashika said. But Prabhavathy was Parthavi's mother not for nothing.
"I have called Kala here. She will do everything for Amlu. Peekadam, Gokadam, Whatever"
She said and walked out.
"What the?"
Was all anyone could say, While elders laughed.
"How am I supposed to meet her?"
Raghunandhu kept walking to and fro in his room while, Maanas, Srinivas and Vedmohan were happily eating Papads made for the lunch. Raghunandhu glared at them was about to turn when he slipped on his panche.
"One hundred and seventy two."
All the three men said in chorus earning a growl from Raghunandhu.
"Shut up waste fellows."
He groaned as he was about to fall because of the panche again.
"Sreenu, Maanas before this fellow gets into some kind of accident with this panche, we have to do something."
"We will remove his panche?"
Maanas suggested making Raghunandhu jump and hold his panche together like some heroine of 80's movie whose virtue was at stake at the hands of the villain.
"Chi chi.."
Srinivas said bewildered.
"Take him to Prasad babayi's house. Its not like we are in the other end of the city. We are only a few streets away."
Bhargava said poking his head inside.
"Annaiyya, but amma said no meeting after Pelli koduku/kuthuru.."
"Your Brother is right in calling you Pandu. You are so Pandu. Are you such a good boy? In that case you might want to learn certain things from your Brother and Bava."
Mahika too said poking her head inside the room and both left chuckling.
"Muddha pappannam and all is making fun of me."
Raghunandhu groaned. Seeing that his lamentations are not going stop anytime soon, Vedmohan signalled to other two who on cue shut Raghunandhu's mouth and kidnapped him outside through back gate. Similar was the situation with Parthavi who was being kidnapped by Ishaani and Harshita. But only difference was that it was to her own room.
"Oye.. What is this? Harshu? Ishu? Don't tell me this was Bhoomi's idea!"
"Nope. Its your Bavagaru's idea."
"Hain?"
"Look at the Window"
Confused Parthavi looked through the window and found Raghunandhu hanging.
"Raghu? What are you doing there."
"Hanging.. Literally. Help me Parthavi. Thesefellows are waste."
Parthavi looked down and saw Srinivas, Maanas and Vedmohan holding on to Raghunandhu's dear life.
"Seriously?"
She exclaimed and pulled him inside.
"Ungrateful fellow. Chellamma, ask that Viswasam leni vedhava to text one of us if you are done."
Saying Srinivas and Maanas pulled Vedmohan to a secluded corner of the backyard. Parthavi turned to see that her friends have left them alone too.
"Raghu? What kind of childish act is this? What if someone catches us? My make up lady will be here any moment. And you.."
"My Urban clap facial fellow is waiting there at Vedmohan's place. We jumped the compound wall."
Raghunadhu said straightening his laalchi and pyjama. Parthavi had no words. Before she could say anything, Raghunandhu forwarded her an Amul chocolate bar.
"I know you will be tensed. Here"
He said and she took chuckling.
"You came here for this?"
"No.. Wanted to see my Pelli Koothuru."
He said taking a bite of the chocolate she already bit into making her go red.
"If that is the case, then you should have come like Pelli koduku. Not like a thief."
She said raising her brow.
"My Panche kept making me fall. Vedmohan, Sreenu and Maanas were even keeping a count of it."
Parthavi laughed.
"Didn't you bava tell you how to manage your Panche while making you wear it?"
"He gave a tutorial.. Hey wait, how do you know that Rishi bava..?"
Parthavi bit her lips containing her grin and Raghunandhu's eyes widened.
"Who is the culprit?"
"I don't let my sources out!"
"Urhh.."
"By the way, how did you wear Pancha for our engagement?"
Raghunadhu gave sheepish smile scratching his head.
"Athaiyya got me a readymade Dhoti"
Parthavi hit her forehead.
"Oh god! In future then before I get ready, I should make you wear Dhoti! Usually when it should be the other way round."
"As if we are usual people!"
"Well.. No.."
"Then?"
"Then.. I can have my own time trying to tuck you panche on your waist.. Having my share of view of your.. Ahem.."
"Hey?"
"CHEST! You guttermind."
"You were the one who gave a scandalous pause. So my mind will go there only kada? Don't blame me. Already my mind is going places seeing you as my bride."
He said in one breath making Parthavi widen her eyes.
"After this we will get busy with the wedding Parthavi. We might not get much time until.. You know.. Our shobanam.."
He said and chuckled as she threw the chocolate wrapper at him.
"Are you comfortable? Are you happy?"
He asked pulling her close to him. She smiled seeing her moddhu being all understanding.
"I am Raghu. I am happy. If only we can elope without going through all this rituals. They are waking me up at 4:30 in the midnight!"
Raghunandhu laughed heartily.
"On the wedding night you can sleep to your heart's content!"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah.. Why?"
"Nothing."
"Now that you ask.. There is something."
"What?"
"If you are going to wear such white saree and that too draped this way, on our wedding night, then you can happily forget sleeping."
He said eyeing her exposed waist and laughed as she started hitting him. They were happy and ready to start their new life. Tomorrow was the day when the first step towards their union would start.