The Wedding!

Wow - it sure was easy to get behind on the blog! Each day has been full of traveling and adventures; each evening has been full of fun!


The day of the wedding turned out to be a pretty busy day. We, had another buffet-style brunch - more high-quality Indian food. The menus continue to have a variety of dishes. However, I'm starting to miss being able to eat a salad or non-fried vegetables.


During the brunch, there was a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Pranav's grandparents. There was plenty of cake to go around, so everyone was invited to have a piece. Immediately following, the younger folks began to separate, to get ready for the wedding. Ramona had a dress to pick up at the mall; I had received a nice, ethnic shirt and pants to wear for the occasion. It took a little work to get every thing arranged in the proper order. I was pretty impressed at how comfortable the whole outfit was. I'll have to save it for another Indian wedding someday...

Before things got underway, we paused for a few pre-wedding photos.


Before the wedding ceremony, we participate in what's known as a bharat. In ages past, the groom's friends and well-wishers would proceed the groom on his white horse, as he walked through the village from his home to the bride's house. All the way, his entourage would dance and sing in his path, trying to slow the groom down. With more time to think, he might decide not to get married at all, avoiding all of the headaches of wedded life.

As we prepared to walk along in the bharat, that's when I got my biggest surprise of the trip: the groom's friends all get turbans! Yup - I got to wear a turban for the event. Ramona snapped a great picture of me and another friend, Devansh, in our turbans. Later, I will upload video with all of the guys in our turbans.


The groom was preceded by a marching band, a troupe of drummers, and a throngs of wedding guests. We all paraded back and forth in front of him, dancing in his path. This gave everything a wonderful, carnival atmosphere, as we occassionally stopped for pictures, songs, and so on. Our celebrating delayed the procession for nearly an hour; not bad, all-in-all. Fornatunately for Smita, our delays couldn't change Pranav's determination.

When we finally got to Smita's home, it was marvelously decorated. Flowers everywhere left a wonderful scent in the air. Guests were treated to a wide array of Indian and international dishes, to the first night of the wedding. As usual, we grouped up with the younger crowd. Our table was overflowing with good food and even better conversation !

While we ate, Pranav and Smita performed the marriage rites with a priest in a small shrine. Their families gathered nearby and looked on as the formalities proceeded. Once things finished, the newlyweds moved to the head of a receiving line, not unlike a western wedding. As groups of extended families or friends greated the newlyweds, professional photographers would snap group photos. As Pranav and Smita had an army of photographers (and videographers), the wedding events were well-recorded. I can't wait to see how their pictures turn out!

Thanks to a day of dancing in the streets, Ramona and I were pretty worn out very early in the evening. Since the newlyweds would have to close the place out to receieve the hundres of guests, we took our leave. Our drivers took the wedding party back to the hotel, to prepare for another early morning of wedding events.