Tribals tie knot in unique rituals in Mancherial

The ethnic tribes, mainly Gonds, Thotis and Kolams, do not solemnise marriage of their children in glittering ceremonies. They organise it in a low key affair, not spending on lavish venues.

Mancherial: Couples getting married enjoy going through the ritual in a grand venue before they tie the knot. But, the wedding venue for couples from tribal communities is typically a heap of dung. Sounds incredible, but it is a part of a tradition of some aboriginal tribes in the district.

The custom is followed to remind everyone about the bond between humans and nature.
The ethnic tribes, mainly Gonds, Thotis and Kolams, do not solemnise marriage of their children in glittering ceremonies. They organise it in a low key affair, not spending on lavish venues.

---

They keep it simple and always try to give paramount importance to nature that they worship.
Distinctively, the tribals of remote villages such as Ralligadpur and surrounding villages in Hajipur mandal conduct several important wedding rituals around a heap of dung placed in one corner of their home. The couple performs prayers carrying rice grains in their hands. They take an oath of their union with dung in their hands as well.

Tekam Maru, a Kolam tribe said tribals solemnise the key rituals of the wedding on heaps of dung to express their bond with nature. “Dung, an organic fertilizer, helps us in getting higher yield of a crop. Similarly, cows are an integral part of life. The tradition symbolises the link of humans with nature,” he said.

At the same time, domination of the party of the bride during the process is another aspect of the weddings of tribals. Family members and relatives of the groom offer hospitality to the party of the bride. They bear the expenses of the marriage, which usually takes three days of time. Significantly, they do not practice the so-called dowry system.

 

---

Now you can get handpicked stories from Telangana Today on Telegram everyday. Click the link to subscribe.

Click to follow Telangana Today Facebook page and Twitter .