I'm sorry I couldn't blog for a while, and the reason behind it is that I was in India. I know that you missed me...
I had a great time there! I was there to attend my cousin's wedding.
We had only three days to buy our clothes for the wedding when we came to India. We had to travel from Delhi to Chandigarh and it used 6 hrs to arrive in Chandigarh by car. Chandigarh is a beautiful place made by French architects and is known internationally for its architecture and urban design. The day started with breakfast, and then nobody got time to feel hungry untill the night. But, thankful to the salesmen in the shops ask you what you want to drink or eat (that only happens in well reputed shops). The first three days were spent in the big showrooms.
The next day, we were off to Ludhiana (where the wedding was about to take place). Ludhiana is located 100 km west from state capital Chandigarh. I met my family there.It felt nice to be with my family again. I met some of my family members I never met. All the youngsters in the family made one group...I was in the that group. We had discussions about, philosophy, God and universe, and many other things. The wedding process started with a "Cocktail-party".Music,Cocktails,Dance and dinner to celebrate the forthcoming wedding of my cousin. It was an open place, but our dinner was inside the Palace. When we entered the open place, then I felt like I was in a labyrint, because of the beautiful decoration. In the middle of the place it was a bar, and behind the bar it was a dancefloor with an amazing DJ. We danced "freestyle" all night. It were stalls there
where you could find any type of snaks or drinks. From Kashmiri tea to the crispy chickens...Yum Yum!
And if you didn't want to stand up from Your seat! No proplem! The waiters did go around those who didn't want to move from his/her place. They served all type of Food from around the world. Delicious! The party ended 05.00 am.
The other day, We all were exhausted and most of us didn't wake up before 1.00 pm, however the ones with hangover didn't get up before 05.00 pm. My feet hurt, but we were going to have DJ in my cousin's house. My poor feet were tortured once again...
7.00 pm started the DJ. The garden was transformed to something that looked like something,something, something...okay I can't find the right words. See it for yourself!
The next day, we got a break from partying, eating, dancing and for some of the family members drinking. So we put on some "henna" on our hands, and I took it on my feet for the very first time.
The fashion of "Bridal Mehndi" in North India diasporas is currently growing in complexity and elaboration, with new innovations in glitter, gilding, and fine-line work. Recent technological innovations in grinding, sifting, temperature control, and packaging henna, as well as government encouragement for henna cultivation, have improved dye content and artistic potential for henna.
I will just skip some days...
And then comes the "chunni chadana"from the bride's side. I met the bride on the ringceremony (in 2011), and on the Cocktail from the groom's side and on the DJ day. She's very nice, and very sweet. "Chunni Chadana" means to take the chunni on the bride's head.
On the occasion of Chunni chadana, groom's parents and close relatives visit the bride’s house. The groom’s sister or sister in law presents the girl a red sari, as a token of acceptance of the girl in their family. Thereafter, the girl is dressed in the clothes given by the boy’s family. The main ritual of the ceremony is when the girl’s would be mother-in-law places a red chunni on the girl’s head and gives her some traditional jewelry. Following this is a ritual in which the girl is fed boiled rice and milk by all the relatives of the boy that are present at the time. The ceremony comes to an end with the exchanging of rings between the prospective bride and groom.
And finlly, THE WEDDING!As the sun rise and birds play the "Shehnai"(an instrument) of the wedding ceremony, the hands of nature puts "Tilak" of the sun on the forehead of the sky and the day becomes memorable when my cousin accepts my sister-in-Law as his wife. The day started With a yellow powder "war"(not literally) with the groom. the groom's relatives also apply batna, more as a jest than a serious ceremony. This is followed by a puja, after which his mother ties a "Sehera" on his turban, praying that his life ahead will be as beautiful and fragrant as the flowers. (And if the groom is ugly, the more of his face covered, the better!) He is then seated on a female horse and his sisters tie a mauli (sacred thread) on the reins of his horse. They also detain the horse in the tradition known as baagpakdai, saying that they won't leave it's reins unless their brother bribes them. Once they are satisfied with the cash or jewellery bribe, they release the reins.
Unfortunately, I didn't get the wedding pictures or the "batna" pictures.
-Ritika Jaswal
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