Mining baron and former Karnataka minister Janardhana Reddy’s daughter’s wedding took off early on Wednesday with special poojas in famous temples. Bengaluru on the other hand, gradually witnessed traffic jams in some areas as people flocked to the venue.
Reddy’s daughter Brahmani’s wedding with P Rajeev Reddy is an extravagant affair, to put it mildly. The venue, created in Bengaluru’s Palace Grounds, was a replica of the ruins of the Vijayanagara empire, which was based in Hampi.
Multiple ceremonies held over four days were attended by around 50,000 people. Among those who attended were several politicians, celebrities and even the Karnataka Governor Vaju Bhai Vala.
The Big Fat Indian Wedding
On the day of the wedding ceremony, special poojas were offered early in the day.
The bride and the groom went up to the kalyana mantapa in a procession in a horse-drawn chariot. Janardhan Reddy’s close associate B Sriramulu walked in front of the chariot.
The bridal procession comprised over 100 cultural troops, including Brazilian samba dancers, kamsale, nandikolu kunita, tribal dance troupes. The procession took the couple right up to the mantapa, which was fashioned in the manner of the Tirupati Tirumala temple, including the famed temple’s seven doors.
The couple exchanged rings and the ceremony began as eight chief priests of the Tirupati temple conducted the ceremony for the couple according to the Dhanurlagna muhurtha. It began at 9:45 am and went on until 10:15 am. As the ceremony was conducted, temples in Udupi, Savadatti, Kolhapur, Banashankri and Tirupati offered special poojas.
The seers of around 30 mutts were seated on a platform, below which the couple and their families were seated for the ceremony.
Celebratory Procession Followed by Traffic Woes
Arrangements for the guests included an eating area that could seat 7,000 people at a time for the wedding lunch. A separate seating area was set up to serve lunch to 1,500 VIPs. Around 60 dishes are said to have been part of the menu.
After the wedding, the couple and their families will fly to Ballari in two special planes at 3:30 pm that can seat 90 people each. In Ballari, the couple is expected to go around town in a procession.
As the wedding took off, some parts of Bengaluru witnessed traffic jams. The stretch from Hebbal to Mekri Circle saw slower movement of traffic. Ballari Road saw increased vehicular traffic as buses ferrying people headed to the venue from Ballari, Reddy’s fiefdom. Around 20 traffic police personnel have been deployed in addition to the regular cops posted in these areas. No traffic diversions have been announced, senior officers told The News Minute.
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