A Pushkar Wedding
I had the privilege of attending the wedding of one of my friend Pinu in Pushkar. It was three full days of celebration: goodness!
Day One started with a blessing ceremony followed by a luncheon for friends and family. Sweets, jeera rice, dal and poorie? were passed out by the groom's friends and family. After the lunch, the Pinu was taken away by the women while he had henna applied to his feet and hands while his friends played cards next door. Before getting dressed for the groom's procession, Pinu was bathed in turmeric.
A delicious buffet dinner of was followed by the wedding procession. Pinu mounted a white horse, and while holding a little child in front of him he is marched through the town. The child that accompanies the groom represents a Ganpati, a little Lord Ganesh for good luck.
While a mix of drums and and cacophonous music played, the men proceeded the procession dancing while the women followed behind the groom, also dancing enthusiastically. As the procession winded all through the little streets of Pushkar, icecreams and milky drinks with nuts were passed out to the train of followers. One person at a time from the escort circled the Pinu's head with ten rupee notes as a blessing and at one point we were showered with thousands of roses. As the escort made its way back to the wedding complex, Pinu dismounted the horse while his younger brother mounted and rode off on the horse, the next to be married! As tradition, Pinu spent the last night before his marriage, and as a single man, with his closest friends.
Day Two- Collecting the bride in Pali, Rajasthan
Pali is about four hours away from Pushkar and usually women (unless they are family) do not attend this part of the wedding. However, as western women tend to have special privilidges (in India, we can move easily between the world of men and the world of women), I was very lucky to be able to go and help 'collect the bride.'
Drums and dissonant music announced the arrival of the groom. Again, the procession danced its way to the bride's house where she and the family were waiting for the groom. Inside the house, blessings were given so that the groom would be accepted as part of the family. From what I understand, this was only the second time that the bride and groom had met in person.
The procession joined the bride's friends and family for another delicious feast which included gulab jamun and other sweets, a fresh tomato, cucumber and onion salad, mixed vegetables in gravy, paneer butter masala to die for, chapati and dal. Pinu, had already made his way to the stage where he would wait for his bride. All of a sudden, drums announced the arrival of the bride and her brides' maids. She looked lovely dressed in a dark red choli lengha which was elaborately decorated with beads and sequins, gold jewelry, wedding bangels and henna had been applied to her hands, arms and feet. She also looked very shy, as was appropriate. She and her escort made their way to the stage where she and Pinu exchanged garlands of flowers.
Close friends and family stayed for the fire ceremony which took place in the middle of the night (when the bride and groom circle a sacred fire seven times and officially become man and wife). The new wife then leaves her family, after the 'crying ceremony' and returns to Pushkar with her new husband.
Day Three:
A feast to outdo all feasts (with a choice of scrumptious Indian, Chinese or Italian food followed by crisp and cool watermelon and flavoured ices) and much celebration and dancing!
The bride and groom's first dance
