In 2016, it was mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy who raised eyebrows for hosting the biggest and fattest spread Bengaluru had seen for his daughter's multi-crore wedding
Four years on, it appears that Janardhana Reddy's clout will be given a run for its money by his close aide and Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister B Sriramulu who has set aside 9 days for the multi-crore wedding of his daughter Rakshita with Lalith Sanjeev Reddy.
An official in Sriramulu's office played down media reports that the budget for the wedding is anywhere close to the lavish wedding hosted by Janardhana Reddy for his daughter Brahmani in 2016. "The budget for the wedding is nowhere close to Rs 500 crores and it will be a traditional ceremony held over 9 days," a person who works in Sriramulu's office told TNM. Few reports however claim that this too will be a Rs 500 crore wedding.
The wedding festivities had already begun on February 27 and a series of events will mark the days leading up to the main wedding ceremony on March 5. One lakh people including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa have been invited for the wedding. The wedding invitation has been designed with a health-related theme and also has kesar, cardamom, vermilion and turmeric powder.
The wedding will take place in Bengaluru's Palace Grounds on March 5 from 7 am to 9 pm. Multiple sets will be erected based on temples in Karnataka in a 40-acre plot in Palace Grounds. One of the sets is based on Hampi's Virupaksha Temple and 200 people have been deployed for floral decorations.
Costume designer Saniya Sardharia and the make-up artists involved in Deepika Padukone's wedding have been roped in by Sriramulu for the wedding.
Pictures from wedding ceremonies and engagement in Dec 2019
Events are lined up for March 4 too. The vara pooja and the pre-muhurat events will take place on a set erected in Palace Grounds and artists including Kannada composer Gurukiran, Akhila Pajimannu, Suhana Syed will be performing. Haldi programme is scheduled for March 1 and the Mehendi programme will take place on March 3.
Pictures from wedding ceremonies and engagement in Dec 2019
Dignitaries from Karnataka's political and film circles will be taking part in the wedding bash. Although it is not expected to top Janardhana Reddy's lavish spread for his daughter's wedding in 2016, it is still expected to be a lavish ceremony in Bengaluru.