We Vysyas are Telugu speaking trading caste of South India, predominantly from the state of Andhra Pradesh, our historical homeland. Our community is well spread over other parts of South India such as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka as well. We use the title Setty or Gupta in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and Chetty in Tamil Nadu.We proudly consider ourselves as an affluent community engaged in business or trade.Vasavi Kanyaka Parameswari is the Goddess or Kula Devatha of our community. Sri Vasavi Kanyaka Parameswari temple situated in Penugonda, a town in the West Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh. Our forefathers have contributed in the fields of arts & culture, politics, economics, architecture, history, science, astronomy, martial & military excellence and spirituality. We are very much proud of our glorious past and our 'steeped in tradition' roots. Even today we find great pride in carrying forth the values and tradition taught to us by our forefathers. Our community follows certain ethnic customs and social traditions uniquely representing the traits of Aryavysya.

Wedding Rituals :

Pendlikoothuru takes place a day or two before the marriage. In this ceremony, the boy and the girl are smeared with oil and turmeric. They take bath and wear new clothes. The bride dresses up in a saree and wears flowers on her hair and bangles on her hands. The groom usually wears a dhoti. All the assembled married women are presented with betel leaves, sweets, flowers, and bangles. This gifting is done to ensure the married women bless the to-be married girl and invite her to become a part of their group.

Kashi Yatra is a unique ceremony where the boy says at the end of the thread ceremony that he has discarded worldly pleasures and is going to Kashi. This strange but very relevant ceremony is called "KashiYatra" or the journey to Kashi. To stop him from the symbolic departure to Kashi, the girl's brother requests him to stay on. For this he also offers his sister in marriage.

Ganesh Pooja

This is the equivalent of the Gauri Puja performed by the groom at the same time. Ganesha puja is considered auspicious for any important occasion as it ensures the success of the work at hand.

Kanyadaan

The Telugu marriage ceremony is striking as well as colourful. It has the girl's mama or the maternal uncle carrying the bride in a bamboo basket to the mandap (wedding place). The bride is dressed up in a bright coloured saree and precious jewellery. According to custom, the girl would carry some betel leaves, betel nuts, a coconut, sandalwood stick, and a red pumpkin. During the marriage, a curtain is placed between the bride and groom, so that they do not see each other till the ceremony is completed. At the end of the wedding, the father and mother of the bride cleanses the boy's feet with water. In the Telugu community, the groom ties the Mangalsutra around the neck of the bride with three knots.

Kanya Daan Akshata

At the end of the Mangalsutra ceremony, the couple put garlands around each other's necks. And all those assembled shower flower petals and rice. This is called Akshata, the offering of uncooked, turmeric-coloured rice.

Griha Pravesh

This is a common marriage ritual where the bride is made to enter the groom's house with much fanfare. The two mangalsutras are united on a common thread 16 days after the wedding, with a few black or golden beads between the two plates so that they do not clash with each other. This symbolizes harmony between the two families. The number 16 is considered a divine number in Hinduism and 16 days are symbolic of the time period that the bride has taken to know and understand her husband's family. As is common with most Hindu ceremonies, the bride takes a bath and wears a new sari. Any elder from the family or the husband himself then unites the two mangalsutras on a common thread

Jeelakarra-Bellamu

This is a not so common ritual in Telugu marriage where a paste of cumin seeds and jaggery is made. The bride and the groom apply this paste on each other's hands. It is symbolic of the bride and the groom coming together.