<span style="font-weight: 400;">And in particular we have observed that Girija Kalyana the event, is celebrated as festivals in each of the local communities annually, and thus showing this to be a important social knot between the local population allowing for the culture to grow and evolve. One of the local celebration or ritual is the “</span><a href="http://team.servelots.com/my/pradeep/girijakalyana/phalpooje/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Phala Pooje</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">” observed during the end of November or begin of December, called “Sharad Ritu” as per the Hindu Calender. This ritual marks the engagement of Shiva and Parvati. This ritual is performed in the Kodandarama Temple, Near the </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="http://team.servelots.com/my/pradeep/girijakalyana/chakrathirtha/">Chakra Teertha.</a></span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">All rituals which encompasses a Hindu wedding is performed with the idols of </span><a href="http://chaluvaraju.pantoto.org/veerupaksha-kalyanotsava/virupaksha-pampambika/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Virupaksha and Hampamma</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. People from all communities in the local area believe in these rituals to bring good luck to one self and their family, and have been following the tradition, till date.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">After the engagement rituals, follows the Wedding preparation. The Wedding rituals are performed in the</span><a href="http://team.servelots.com/my/pradeep/girijakalyana/virupakshatemple/"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Virupaksha temple.</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The center of the temple complex has the </span><a href="http://team.servelots.com/my/pradeep/girijakalyana/kalyanamantapa/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kalyana mantapa</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> or the marriage altar which is a dedicated place in the temple for the marriage event. To the left of the marriage altar is a “</span><a href="http://team.servelots.com/my/pradeep/girijakalyana/yagnashaala/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yajna Shaale</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">” used to perform the formal shaivite wedding rituals like Homa and Yagas meaning sacrifices offered through fire.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The marriage altar is decked with flowers and silk, the idols from Virupaksha temple, namely the “ Utsava moorti”, “ </span><a href="http://team.servelots.com/my/pradeep/girijakalyana/meravanigemurthi/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Meravanige moorti</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">” and “ </span><a href="http://team.servelots.com/my/pradeep/girijakalyana/kalyanamurthi/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kalyanada Moorti</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">” all having different purposes is brought to the Marriage altar.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The Seers from the “</span><a href="http://team.servelots.com/my/pradeep/girijakalyana/Vidyranyamath/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vidyaranya Math</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">” also play an important role in the wedding rituals. As all events follow a traditional Hindu/Shaivite wedding protocols, and thus the seers are observed to be from the Bride and Groom's family. The local communities get together being the witness for the wedding, and they also bring new clothes as gifts to the newly wed couple.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The events proceed, “</span><a href="http://team.servelots.com/my/pradeep/girijakalyana/mangalyadharana/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mangalya daarana</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">(Tying the holy knot)”, “Ungura shastra (exchange of rings)”, “Vastra vinimaya (exchange of cloths)”, “Muttina nyvedya (Offering of pearls)” and exchanging garlands and so forth. These rituals are performed during late evenings, and these have already been documented by us.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Following the wedding, there is week long celebration in the temple, which is called the “Kalyanotsava”, which also is the annual fair. During this week long fair, the “ Meravanige moorti” or the idols meant for processions, are decorated in different, ornament, flowers and silk, and carried on differently decorated carts or “Ratha”. The week long rituals are named as following based on the design of the Cart used for the day: “ Chandra Mandala Utsava (Moon-cart)”, “ Garudotsava (Eagle-cart)”, “Nandi Utsava (holycow-cart)”, “ Sooryotsava (Sun-cart) ”, “</span><a href="http://team.servelots.com/my/pradeep/girijakalyana/horsecart/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ashvatotsava</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (horse-cart)”, “ Shayanotsava (snake-cart)”, and “Gajotsava (Elephant-cart)”. The fourth day of the fair, is observed to be most auspicious, people bring Clothes and ornaments as offerings to the god, and the Wedding or Kalyana is on the final day of this fair.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">The day after the Kalyanotsava fair, is called “</span><a href="http://team.servelots.com/my/pradeep/girijakalyana/rathostsva/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rathotsava</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">”, and the significance of this event is that, the newly wed couple is carried out in the Main temple cart, into the “</span><a href="http://team.servelots.com/my/pradeep/girijakalyana/rajabeedi/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Raja Beedi</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">” or main street.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">And finally the culmination of the Wedding celebrations is observed with, an event called “ </span><a href="http://team.servelots.com/my/pradeep/girijakalyana/teppotsava/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Teppotsava</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">” meaning ride in a saucer shaped boat. The newly wed couple is taken out on to Tunga-Bhadra river in the saucer shaped boat (Teppa). This event is celebrated on a full moon night, and to mark this, the day is also called as “</span><a href="http://team.servelots.com/my/pradeep/girijakalyana/hampi_hunnime.JPG"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hampi Hunnime</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">” or also “ Phala Poojeya Hunnime”.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">The local adaptation of Girija Kalyana into the lifestyle and culture of the local communities is an astounding fact, and in relation to this we have some observations.Shiva and Parvati.Shiva and Parvati.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">On the top or roof of the Marriage altar or the Kalyana Mantapa, we can see beautiful mural paintings depicting the Girija Kalyana scene, also showing the other gods attending the epic wedding, with other prominent Seers (rishi/munis and Mahatmas) blessing the newly wed </span><a href="http://team.servelots.com/my/pradeep/girijakalyana/shivaparvathi/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Shiva and Parvati.</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> This </span><a href="http://team.servelots.com/my/pradeep/girijakalyana/murals/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">mural paintings</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> show, that Girija Kalyana has been a part of Hampi's heritage.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Also, as mentioned earlier, the local communities from villages in and around Hampi, have their own versions of celebration of the Girija Kalyana, performed on the same day of “ Hampi Hunnime”. People in Hampi, participate in the week long fair to be a part of the epic wedding, and people who cannot visit the Virupaksha temple, celebrate the marriage rituals at home, like how it is done in the temple.</span>

<img class="annotatable alignnone size-large wp-image-1915" src="http://192.168.1.31/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/kalyanamantapa4-1024x683.jpg" alt="kalyanamantapa" width="960" height="640" data-original="http://192.168.1.31/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/kalyanamantapa4-e1455713292965.jpg" data-wp_anno_id="1915" />

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