Wedding, The Indian Way

"My cousin sister is going to get married" he says.

"Accha? That's really nice" i replied with a smile.

I like his cousin sister. She is a sweetheart and i'm happy for her,

because it will be a love marriage. Not one of those arranged ones, where actually

two families are getting married in some kind of social sense.

A Wedding..how wonderful!! Indian Weddings are very bright events.

Filled with rituals and celebrations. 400 attending guests are common.

At once pictures of colourful blooming Sarees appear in front of my inner eye.

Beautiful women adorned with lustrous jevelleries sparkling in warm light.

The melody of the Wedding Quawalli by A.R.Rehman flows through my mind.

Bride and Groom...under the Mandap.

I wonder if he will come riding on an elephant or a horse?!

Or will they adjust to modern times and he appears on a moped??

Who knows..even in India's most traditional celebrations modern times have arrived.

And btw... how to get an elephant to a Mumbaian Wedding??

I would prefer the elephant variation though! And it would be much easier for the groom as he

might be a bit handicaped by the Sehra a turban, which is extended by hanging flowers to cover his face.

He will be more secure if he is led by others to the Mandap.

She is wearing a veil in front of her face, her hands and feet are ornamented with Mehndi.

Haath Pila Karna, "making the hands yellow" this ceremony before the wedding

 i've seen in many Indian movies and i've loved it, because the bride always seemed to be so lost in daydreams and somehow enchanted while the Henna has been applied to her skin.

Will the reality be the same way? I really wish for it!!

Countless bangles tinkling like small bells. She seems to float on an ocean of blossoms.

The priest will tie their hands with a knot and do a pooja to Ganesha.

After this comes another ceremony i love the most. Saptapadi or the seven steps, which means

Bride and Broom conduct seven circuits around the Holy Fire, Agni.

Every of these circuits has a meaning and the couple makes a specific vow in each of them to establish a happy relationship for each other.

Who leads and who is following  differs accordingly to the local tradition.

And then the Bride will leave her parents home.

Hopefully for a nice Wedding Party.

So far to what will happen on the "Day of Days"...

And before....

A Wedding has to be planned and this very second i  have to face that in India the idea of a Wedding Planner is quite different to what i used to think about it.

Why should one ask for a stranger if the helpful hand is so nearby??!!

No wonder regarding all these ceremonies and rituals, there are so many things, which have to be prepared,  millions of tasks are to handle and much work has to be distributed.

And whom to we turn to in such a case? Family members and relatives! Of course!

And he is a family member!!

Surprised i realise that the music in my head starts getting dissonances. The precious cheerful melody

transforms to a slightly rolling thunder. Rainbow coloured dresses fading in some sort of dunst.

Ghosh!!

Amazing how quickly happy feelings turn into irritation!

While my thoughts becoming quite stringy, like a chewingum, i'm trying hard not to loose temper.

By and by i actually should have got used to this sort of "family business".

And if i'm honest to myself..all this might not even bother me if i just could stay with him..

I mean...in the same house, the same time zone, the same city..or at least the same country.

The "joy" of a distance relationship..no sense of denying!! 

As usual he senses my emotional turmoil quickly. "What happened shona?

Why are you quiet?"

I can literally feel the worried expression on his face.

Before i can start my litany about that we dont have much time together anyways and 

that i wonder if he has switched the job and entered the "wedding planning industry" now..and

and and..he just says "Dont worry baabu..i will call you often." 

I was all smiles..and my vision of a beautiful Indian Wedding was saved.