MADIKERI, BENGALURU: Star couple Harshika Poonacha and Bhuvan Ponnannaa entered wedlock at a star-studded ceremony held in traditional Kodava style at the Ammathi Kodava Samaj in Virajpet taluk on Thursday. The ceremonies were held over two days with several celebrities and politicians in attendance.
On the first day of the grand ceremony on Wednesday, Harshika’s mother presented her the mangalsutra as per Kodava tradition. The couple is not allowed to see each other till the wedding rituals and the mehendi ceremony was conducted by elders.
On the wedding day today, after the ritual of chopping plantain stalks, the groom was brought to the wedding pandal where Harshika’s mother fed him a mixture milk, banana and rice. The wedding rituals were completed later with the guests showering raw rice on the couple to bless them. The groom then held the bride’s hand and led her away.
The couple and their families were dressed in traditional Kodava attire. Some of the Sandalwood stars also danced to the tunes of the traditional music. The wedding feast also was traditional Kodava fare.
Among those in attendance were senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, former ministers Murugesh Nirani and Dr C Sudhakar, actors ‘Golden Star’ Ganesh, Doddanna, Tabala Naani, Tara, Anu Prabhakar among others.