This is the standard Ritual in all Telugu Weddings. After the priest recites the wedding slokas from the Vedas, the bride and groom apply a paste of cumin seeds (jeera) and jaggery on each other's hands. This is known as Jeelakarra-Bellamu. The slightly bitter cumin and sweet jaggery when ground together turn into an inseparable mixture. Communicating that the bride and groom are supposed to become inseparable through life's bitter and sweet times. Bride and Groom are considered married once this ritual is Performed and hence considered the most important of all.
Tying the thali or the mangalsutra around the bride's neck by the groom is one of the most important rituals of a hindu wedding.
While the groom ties three knots, the pundit chants this sloka which means; “This is a sacred thread. This is essential for my long life. I tie this around your neck O maiden having many auspicious attributes. May you live happily for a hundred years (with me).”
