Image and Narrative contributed by Lft. Col (Retd.) Dr. G.Kameswararao, Secundarabad
This photo was taken at the wedding of my parents. My Father, Dr. Gadepally Subbarayudu was a medical doctor. My mother, Venkata Ratnalamma was a housewife and studied only upto 5th class, but was a well-read person subsequently. I, Gadepally Kameswara Rao, am their second child, a graduate in Medicine and a post-graduate in Public Health. My wife, late Lakshmi Devi, nee Mokkarala, was a housewife. I served in private institutions, the Andhra Pradesh State government and the Army Medical Corps. I was born on July 23, 1932, and am now 78 years old .
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Sindhu
28 Jun 2010The MADHUPARKALU worn by the couple are in use even now in Telugu weddings. Wrist watches were a rare possession at that period obviously as the bridegroom is showcasing it prominently in this pose ! As a Doctor it was surely a necessity for him to be able to count the pulse and respiration rates of patients in the absence of present -day gadgets of stop watches in mobile phones and pulse-oxymeters /cardiac monitors ! The wooden sandals sported by him , a thing of the past , remind one of the PAADUKAs given by SREERAMA to BHARAT with which the latter anointed the throne until SREERAMA’S return to Ayodhya from his exile . Theses wooden sandals have been replacerd by Hawai Chappals now-a-days. The bride’s barefeet show how the women were expected to be in days of yore. The camphor garlands are even now popular and are a MUST in all Telugu weddings. Those wooden chaIrs were everlasting and their quality is unmatchable now when the USE and THROW culture has pervaded to enable the industrial sector survive !