My First Indian Wedding

So, back to the descriptive stuff.

I awoke on Sunday morning to a knock at my door at around 7am. Unusual in the two or three weeks that I've been staying at my hotel. I was greeted by the owner of the hotel who, whilst flapping his arms around at me telling me to get ready quickly and to come downstairs as it was his granddaughter's wedding. Kind of shocked, and still blurry I agreed to be down in five... on closing the door I realised something terrible... I had nothing to wear!!! Literally though... the Indians, I had seen from various processions, do dress up well... I had a pair of jeans, battered puma trainers and my Tesco's own brand jumper as my smart casual wear... it had to do.

I got ready quick, headed downstairs and was immediately ushered onto a waiting moped ridden by one of the squillion family members I was to be introduced to over the following 14 hours... we screamed through traffic to what I was expecting to be an event in full flow... all the rushing and that. Instead we arrived at a court yard getting primed for the main event (it still looked a long way off...). Despite all the rushing I still had to sit around waiting for a couple of hours... unsure of what was going on, whether I was in the right place or anything... eventually the grandfather from the groom's side took me under his wing and explained to me in his broken English of what was going on...

The first part began when about one hundred women in a rainbow of wedding saris arrived at the entrance to the courtyard... they were singing and joking and dancing for a long time at the entrance... I'm not sure what this all meant... but it looked pretty cool. They then came to the back of the courtyard where they all sat around the dowry which had been spread out along the floor... silks and jewellery and gold and the like... all the way I imagined it to be... there the father of the bride offered the women from the groom's side.. the dowry and they accepted with great merriment... it all seemed good natured and the many of the women from one side of the wedding seemed to be good friends with those on the other which was nice. This event was followed by a lovely lunch time feast... all vegetarian I might add with a not of disappointment... but lovely all the same.

That was part one... part two I was told would be happening at 7.30pm in the same place... so I returned to my hotel... exhausted but ready for part two. I again was rushed out of my room at 7 (pm this time) onto a scooter and then straight into the middle of the Baraat, the groom's procession through the streets... he was riding a white decorated horse... surrounded by his friends and family with a band of drummers and trumpeters... lots of dancing... lots of fireworks... lots of stopping and starting and stopping and confusion and fun... it was an assault on my still sensitive senses... but great. I then peeled off the crowd with the brother of the bride around the corner where I first caught a glimpse of her.. she was absolutely stunning, sitting in a horse drawn carriage surrounded by her girlfriends... all wearing amazing saris... it was quite a sight. We followed her to the same courtyard of the dowry ceremony... where I was stunned at the number of people. There had been at most 200 people at the lunch... there were well over a thousand at this event.

The bride met the groom to great cheering and dancing and fireworks and music... the fireworks in India, I have to say, scar the hell out of me as the explode about 15 metres off the ground.... as these did, setting light to the roof of the kitchen and providing some unplanned excitement... no one was hurt mind. The bride and groom then took up their seats.. together... where they remained for about 4 hours... not moving... smiling resolutely throughout the thousand upon thousands of camera flashes that were put their way. Whilst this was going on I sampled a lot of food which was being provided on the 30 or so stalls dotted around. Avoiding the accusatory stares of those who thought I had invited myself from off the street (I was the only westerner there and hardly dressed for the occasion!) I managed to speak to lots of the guests... many of them family from both sides... all lovely and thrilled at the event... so happy the lot of them.

I stayed for the exchanging of the Varmala... the wedding garland, between bride and groom... again fireworks and cheers accompanied the event... and then slowly... into the evening... the guests began to make their way and by 11 o'clock there were around 50 or so close family and friends. I had been told by more than one of these that I should stay for the real wedding.. the Saat Phere or Seven Vows.... however by this time I began to feel that I was imposing on what was a precious event for the family... especially on the bride's side who were effectively saying goodbye to their daughter... their sister as a member of their family... forever.

And so it was I left my first Indian wedding. It was beautiful and colourful and without question my happiest day in India so far. I expected to be far more conflicted about it than I was... in the end I just let the celebrations take me... and I don't regret it. I hope it is not my last...

PS Photos will be up soon... don't laugh too hard at the one I've put up here!!!!!