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A Coorgi wedding
Like most Indian weddings, the Coorg wedding, or mangala as it is called in the Kodava language, is a fun-filled, colourful affair. It is a joyous celebration with much feasting and dancing, eagerly awaited by relatives and friends. It is also an occasion to meet, exchange news and gossip and look for matches for prospective brides and grooms; an occasion that allows women an opportunity to show off their saris and jewellery.

What surprises visitors from outside to Coorg is the absence of Brahmin priests and rituals that solemnize a typical Hindu wedding. Instead, prayers are offered to ancestors at the sacred lamp and the wedding ceremony is guided by elders whose blessings are sought. It is these simple but meaningful acts and some unusual rituals that make the Coorg wedding rather unique.

The traditional Coorg wedding these days is a two-day affair that sometimes spills over to the early hours of the third morning (if the dancers at the Ganga puje dance through the night!). The day preceding the wedding is called the the Uur kuuduva or Karik muripa day when preparations are made for the wedding day. The important ceremonies on the wedding day are the Muurtha - when the bride and groom are blessed by all those assembled, the Sammanda kodupa - when the bride is given rights in her husband’s house and the Ganga puje - when the bride is welcomed and accepted as a member of the groom’s family.