Gauri Pooja is done by the Bride before the Wedding for the well being. She is made to sit in a decorated Bamboo basket to do this Pooja because the bride is considered very special gift to the family of the Groom. 

After this, the Gothram, the clan of the bride is changed as to that of the Groom. There are no hymns or Chants for this in particular. But Usually people chant the Vedas that describe the Marriage of  Lord Sriman Narayana and Sridevi Lakshmi as the bride and groom are considered to be gods themselves in the Altar.

______________________________________________________________________________________

"Pelli kumarthi.. Please get into the room where Gauri vigraham is ready for you and do the pooja. Mother of the bride, please come here for the Kalasa Pooja."

And Parthavi was being shoved inside a room which had the lamps, a decorated basket made of bamboo that was of her size and then a beautifully decorated Vigraham of Matha Gauri.

It was very beautiful that it sat perfectly right in the small pooja mandap in the room.

"Parthu, you have to sit inside the basket."

Bhoomi said and showed her the decorated Basket. It was decorated in red and yellow colors. It had nice mirrors around it.

"Excuse me!"

Parthavi said, frowning. Bhoomi chuckled.

"When I got married, you were so into your bro, Prithvi that you did not follow what was really happening, Parthu. This is Gauri Pooja. And that is Pelli Koothuru Gampa/Butta."

"I know all those Bhoomi. But why should I sit in the basket. Even in your wedding I asked the question and no one had time to answer and later, I did not question given my exams."

Harshita opened the door and Prabhavathy followed her with a Kalasam, a small decorated pitcher that was covered with a cloth and a Mangalasutram tied around it.

"Amlu, you are not into the butta yet?"

She asked, keeping the Kalasam near the Gauri vigraham.

"Athaiyya, she is asking why she should sit in the Butta."

Prabhavathy shook her head and asked Parthavi to forward her hand. Frowning, Parthavi forwarded her hands and Prabhavathy placed a mixture of Jaggery and Jeera in both of her palms and closed it.

"You are being given to the Groom, Amlu. You are a gift."

Prabhavathy said.

"And Gifts should be well wrapped before being presented."

Harshita said and gave a five to Bhoomi giggling. Parthavi was still frowning.

"Amlu, I know what you are thinking. You are human. Right! But we are giving the daughter of our house to another house as a daughter so that she can take the clan forward. So you are indeed a precious gift."

Prabhavathy said and kept a black dot over the already present one on her cheek to ward off evil eyes.

"Now, Parthu, get inside the Butta and start with the Pooja. Athaiyya you might be called now."

Bhoomi said, helping Parthavi inside the basket.

"I just came to keep the Kalasam here before she starts the pooja. I have to rush back to give Daanam to Alludu."

Prabhavathy said and rushed back outside.

"Parthu, keep that Jeeraka Bellam on your lap and now take the Kumkum and do as I say."

Harshita and Bhoomi guided Parthavi with the Gauri Pooja. Parthavi prayed to the goddess with all her heart.

"Nayna, Pelli Kumara, now forward your hand. Mother of the bride, give him Milk."

Narasimha Shastry said. Prabhavathy poured a spoonful of Milk on to Raghunandhu's forwarded palm and waited for him to drink it. It was repeated twice.

"Now give him a Banana."

Prabhavathy forwarded him a Banana.

"See, you will not be eating anything until all the wedding rituals are over. So the milk and Banana is all you get. Eat it."

Narasimha Shastry said. Raghunandhu ate it dutifully.

"Now, father of the bride, do the Godaanam, Bhoo Daanam and all."

Shankaram shastry and Hariharan followed his words by giving away a small silver sculpture of cow and calf and instead of Piece of land, he gave away a silver coin, similarly he gave different charities for the well being of his daughter after wedding.

"Now, the important daanam."

Shankaram Shastry said and all got up.

Except for the groom, everyone went to the room where the bride was doing Gauri Pooja.

"Amma, Bhoomi, Gauri pooja over?"

Shankaram asked for which Bhoomi nodded her head inviting them inside.

"We have to do Gothram marpidi. Change of her gothram."

Narasimha Shastry said looking at Parthavi who was sitting inside the basket with the Jeeraka Bellam enclosed in her palms.

"Now, We will chant the Vedam and then you will have to follow us by naming yourself, your daughter and your gothram i.e., your clan."

Shankaram Shastry said to Hariharan who nodded his head.

"Pelli Kumarthi, you should keep praying to the goddess to grant you all the wealth for you to sustain in your new home."

They instructed Parthavi and started chanting the veda mantra for the wedding. At the end of each chant, Hariharan named himself, Parthavi and their Gothram. This was repeated eleven times. At the end of eleventh time, Shankaram Shastry and Narasimha Shastry announced that the bride's Gothram has been changed.

"Officially she is their Gothram now."

They said and Hariharan who was till now holding his tears, shed them hearing this. Bhargava, who saw this first, went near him and held his hands. He had no words to console the father who was giving away his daughter.

"I never thought my daughter has grown so much that she is going to another home leaving us behind."

For the first time listening to her father word out his feelings, even Parthavi's throat stuck with unsaid emotions. At that moment she felt a hand and turned to see Mahika and Shantha smiling at her.

That moment she understood that she was going to another home for sure. But she is not leaving behind this home, this family, her family.

She smiled back at the women brightly.

"We need to get back to the Altar. Pelli Kumarthi, you can have the Jeeraka Bellam in your palm. Soon you will be called, bring them with you."

Shankaram said and left along with everyone leaving Bhoomi and Harshita with Parthavi.

"Now it's just formalities Parthu. You are already the daughter of that house now."

Bhoomi said, trying to chide Parthavi. But Parthavi could see the unshed tears in her eyes. She remembered how Parthavi stood stubbornly trying to not show her tears when Bhoomi's Gothram change was being done during her marriage.

Parthavi had learnt very early in life that tears made a person weak and vulnerable. Bhoomi had been her pillar of support whenever she was in her vulnerable state. Be it her first day in school, her first exam, her results, when her father rejected her emotionally and so on.

But when Bhoomi's marriage was fixed, Parthavi felt like she was losing that pillar. Instead, she got another in the form of Prithvi.

So seeing her Bhoomi trying to contain her tears brought back all those memories for Parthavi as she leaned on her shoulder. Bhoomi put her arms around her.

"Bhoomi.."

"Hmm?"

"If Prithvi Anna comes and sees us like this, he might confirm us as lovers."

For a moment Bhoomi was disoriented and then understanding the punk, she hit Parthavi chuckling.

"Hey! He already knows that. I just hope your handsome groom doesn't see us and runs away."

Bhoomi said.

"It's too late for that Bhoomi akka. He is already booked. Even refused to go on Kashi yatra."

Harshita said and laughed at Parthavi's red face.

"Girls! Get ready."

Ishaani called from the door and Shivaprasad and Navaneetha Krishnudu entered smiling. Parthavi folded her hands to the goddess in prayer and then turned to her uncles.

"You have to wear bashikalu around your forehead."

Saying Shakti came and tied a yellow thread around her forehead near her kalyana tilakam.

"Now come on Mena Mamalu, carry her!"

Shakti and Manga said to their husbands.

"Vrushanka, take the flower bouquet from Parthavi and start walking in the front. Parthu, take this Green Tender Coconut and tamboolam. Carry it in your hand and keep the Jeeraka Bellam on the top."

Manga said. Parthavi handed the decorated bouquet to Vrushanka who was looking at her weirdly.

"Vrusha? Why are you looking at me like a lizard ready to jump in your food?"

Manga chuckling hit Parthavi.

"Nothing Parthu, you do look okay! That's why. You are out of your weird fashion sense and dressed neatly. Your hair is not flying here and there like some Shurpanaka."

"Vrushanka, don't say such names in good times like this!"

"Sorry Athaiyya. But.."

Parthavi laughed.

"Thanks to Kala ra thammudu. Now, stop starting and take this and walk."

Parthavi said and sat properly in the Butta. Shivaprasad and Krishnudu tried carrying Parthavi but in Vain.

"Grr! Earlier, carrying the bride was introduced when the bride was below 12 years. This girl is twenty eight and we have hit our forty's already! Radha, how do you expect us both to carry her alone!"

Krishnudu asked his wife panting for breath making her chuckle.

"Wait!"

She said and went out and came back with Sainath, Srinath, Matheysh and Prithvi. Parthavi laughed.

"Oh boy! Six people to carry me?"

Parthavi said, keeping her hand on her chest dramatically.

"Just take it that your uncles are old"

Shakti said, earning a glare from the males. She just gave them a cute smile and asked the boys to move.

Soon Parthavi was hoisted in the air sitting inside the basket. Parthavi blew a deep breath. This was it. She was going to meet her Groom to become his at last. She waited with bated breath for the moment when she would move.