79 years old Wedding Invitation Card of my parents!

The top photograph is my parents Wedding Invitation Card and it is 79 years old! It is in Telugu, and as you can see it is very elaborate. The Invitation is extended by my paternal grandfather Sri. Narayanaraopeta Lakshminarasaiah garu. My father was 14 & 1/2 years old and my mother was 9 & ½ years old at the time of their marriage in 1930. I am told that around this time there was talk of the introduction of legislation prohibiting child marriages by enforcing the 'Sharada Act'. So a record number of child marriages were performed throughout the country in 1930.

At the top of the Invitation is a Sloka in Sanskrit which states the importance of marriage and seeks the blessings of Gods, especially Lord Vishwakarma for the prosperity of the newlywed couple and their family. This is followed by the details of the marriage as quoted below.

“The Vedic pundits have decided the auspicious day and time for the marriage of my third son, Chiranjeevi Bhaskarachary with Chiranjeevi Sowbagyavathi Eshwaramma the eldest daughter of Sri. Bellary Brahmaiah bava garu, as Pramodootha Nama Samvatsaram (Name of Telugu Year), Vaishaka Masam (Name of Telugu Month), Bahula Thadiya (Particulars of the day), at 1:45 Hrs. on the night of Guruvaram (Thursday), 15^th May 1930, that is early hours of 16^th May 1930. The marriage will be performed at the bride’s residence at Pioneer Bazaar, Bolarum, Secunderabad. Sadasyamu is on Bahula Panchami Shanivaramu, that is on Saturday 17^th May. Poota (Reception) is on Bahula Shasti Aadivaramu, that is on Sunday 18^th May, and Phala Pradhanam and Nagabhali are on Somavaramu, that is on Monday 19^th May 1930.”

This is followed by a very extensive request asking the invitees to attend the functions along with family and friends and bless the couple abundantly and receive the hospitality offered in the form of Flowers, Rosewater, Sumptuous meals and Thamboolam and make the wedding ceremonies a grand success. Towards the end of the invitation, there are modest requests made by my grandfather: “If there are any mistakes or inconvenience caused to you through this invitation or at the marriage I may kindly be excused”. And lastly, he states: “Unmindful of the summer heat, unmindful of the long distance from which you may have to come, unmindful of the problems you foresee in coming, please attend the marriage ceremonies with love and treat the functions as that of your household.” 

The Invitation Card below is of a pre-wedding function of my parents, extended to relatives and friends by my paternal grandfather:

“శ్రీవధూవర నిరీక్షణ మహోత్సవాహ్వాన పత్రిక”

This is an invitation for two functions on Saturday, the 13th of May 1930 (Vaishaka Masam), and called “శ్రీవధూవర నిరీక్షణ మహోత్సవం” and also as “పూలుపండ్లు” function. The first was at 9 a.m. at the house of the Bride (my mother), at Bolarum, and the second was at the Groom’s (my father’s) house in Imambavidi, Secunderabad at 4 p.m. These traditional functions were to gift ceremoniously the Bride and the Groom with symbolic gold jewellery, dresses, sweets, fruits and flowers. My grandfather’s relatives were taken to Bolarum in the morning and introduced to the Bride’s family, her parents and relatives and the gifting ceremony took place. And in the evening the Bride’s family with their relatives visited my grandfather’s house and got introduced to the Groom and offered their gifts. The Bride and the Groom were not together at these functions, they stayed back at their respective houses as their parents and relatives attended the two functions. The Bride and the Groom were chosen by their respective parents and their relatives. My father and mother met and saw one another for the first time at their marriage venue (Kalyana Mandapam) during the “Jeelakarra Bellam” (జీలకర్రాబెల్లం) ceremony which signifies the union/marriage of the Bride and the Groom.

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Happy to share photographs of my grandparents from the 1940s, of my paternal grandfather, Sri. Narayanaraopeta Lakshminarsaiah Garu, my maternal grandfather Sri. Bellary Brahmaiah Garu, my maternal grandmother Smt. Bhoolaxmi, my maternal uncle Sri. Lakshminarsaiah Garu and his wife Smt. Narsamma (Narsavvattha), d/o Sri. Toopran Laxminarayana Garu: