Bengaluru, DHNS: Former minister and mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy’s daughter Brahmani tied the knot with businessman Rajeev Reddy on Wednesday morning amid pompous arrangements and celebrations at the Palace Grounds in the city.

Eight priests from the Tirupati temple started the rituals at 6 am by invoking God with Srinivasa Kalyana Mahotsava in a makeshift temple specially erected for the marriage next to the palace. At 6.15 am, the ‘Dhare Muhurta’ began.

When the bedecked bride, clad in red, entered the temple, Vedic chants rent the air. The priests then gave the bride and the groom instructions on the rituals and explained their importance before the couple tied the knot.

Addressing the guests at the wedding, Reddy made an emotional thanksgiving speech. “My daughter’s wedding was not meant to be an ostentatious display of my wealth. It was a wedding I had always dreamt of for my daughter. I also have the satisfaction of having organised it as I wished,” he said.

He said that in the past nine days, he had forgotten the pain he suffered over the last five years, apparently referring to his incarceration. The wedding was attended by thousands of people from all walks of life. It was no less than a star-studded show with a good number of celebrities, including Telugu comedian Brahmananda, actors Mohan Babu, Tamanna, Haripriya and Ravichandran joining the celebrations.

A 3,000-strong security team, including bouncers, ensured no untoward incidents took place. Among the politicians who made it were Energy Minister D?K?Shivakumar, B S Yeddyurappa, Shobha Karandlaje, and Muttappa Rai. The guests were served a wide range of authentic North Karnataka and South Indian dishes and eight to ten varieties of sweets.