New Delhi: In a fairy-tale union that captivated the film world, Telugu star Vijay Deverakonda and actress Rashmika Mandanna exchanged vows on Thursday, blending opulent traditions in the royal city of Udaipur.
The power couple’s wedding, steeped in cultural richness, highlighted Rashmika’s roots in Karnataka’s Kodava community, nestled amid Coorg’s lush coffee plantations and misty hills.
The day began with Telugu customs, featuring sacred rituals like saptapadi, mangalsutra, and Vedic chants — echoing some North Indian traditions. As evening fell, the spotlight shifted to Kodava rites, allowing the duo to fully embrace their life together. Kodavas, known for their valiant history and unique ‘Kodava Takk’ language, trace their lineage to ancient warriors. This legacy shines through in their reverence for arms, with festivals like Kailpod involving weapon worship. Icons like India’s first Commander-in-Chief K M Cariappa and General K S Thimayya hailed from this brave clan, where many serve in the armed forces.
Central to Kodava life is the “Okka” system — joint families centred around ancestral homes called “Ainmane,” symbolising heritage and collective decisions. Women hold significant sway, reflecting a progressive ethos. Grooms don the flowing ‘Kupya’ coat, turban, and traditional dagger, while brides wear saris draped uniquely, adorned with gold coin necklaces like ‘Kasina Sara’.
Cuisine adds flavour: spicy pork curry, ‘Pandi Curry’; rice balls, ‘Kadambuttu’; and bamboo shoot dishes grace feasts. Festivals such as Puttari (harvest), Kailpod, and Kaveri Sankramana celebrate nature and valour.
Kodava weddings emphasise simplicity and clan bonds over astrology. Held at Ainmane or blessed there, they feature elder blessings; rice-flower showers symbolising acceptance; folk dances like ‘Ummattat’; and ancestral arms. For Vijay and Rashmika, it was a harmonious merger of two worlds, proving love transcends traditions.