The MOST auspicious day

So today was the day to get married in India. There were 1,000 weddings in Jaipur today and driving through the town at night, there was this really beautiful humming and lighting that made the city feel really exciting and alive. On our drive there and back we saw soooo many fully decked white horses and elephants not to mention the parades with brass bands and people dancing en route to the wedding location.

Our evening starting with us getting dressed in our sarees. They consist of three pieces: the top that really only covers your chest, the bottom skirt and then the fabric that really makes or breaks the outfit. We put the first two on without a problem and then our servant Shorbala helped us with the rest.

We were then en route with the whole crew by about 8, a little sad to find out that we were too late and going to miss the groom’s entrance on the white horse. Oh well, we saw enough on the way and one close up in Pushkar. The whole crew consisted of host mom and dad, the two kids, papaji (grandpa) and our driver and male servant/babysitter Gamlesh.

Like I said the drive there was so colorful. So many women in saris walking around and even on scooters and people all dressed up since EVERYONE was going to a wedding somewhere in town. When we got to ours I couldn’t really tell where to look. It was outside behind a hotel as if it was a courtyard that had two levels. You went down and there was food on the outside boundaries with little tables with umbrellas and then a really epic center piece holding plates and napkins. There were people milling everywhere and there were so many snacks!!! On the left side was dinner food then on the right they were grilling up dosas and even had chow mein- with Indian ketchup it was delish! Walking past that square then you went up some stairs to the tiny dance floor and then the stage where the groom was sitting awaiting the bride. For tonight’s ceremony, the actually wedding, they were to put garlands on each other, take pictures and sit together for the first time as a couple. Later in the evening probably around midnight, they were going to do the religious ceremony where they walk around a fire (I think) seven times and several prayers are read. The whole garland placing part seemed really informal and not even everyone was watching it. The bride looked gorgeous and her makeup and jewelry was so beautiful. The groom looked really awesome too with cream colored suit with sparkles and a really awesome hat with a feather. It was pretty interesting to see how he didn’t pay any attention when the bride walked up the stage and didn’t really seem to smile all too much. She also kept her eyes on the ground almost the entire time. This was an arranged marriage where they had met before these ceremonies had started (yesterday) but had not had much interaction, like one meeting Binu said.

After the garland ceremony we got some food as then they sat on stage greeting people. We hit up some really excellent paneer, chick peas, kofta and fresh naan (first piece of the trip). There was also hot halwal and ice cream. Not really I should have had any of it with my recovering digestive system but it was soooo good.

After scarfing down all of that and another plate of chow mein in a sari, I heard Mundian Bach Te and knew it was time to dance. On our way to the miniscule “dance floor” with the kids and Gamlesh we heard Marjaani- a really popular song from a Bollywood movie here that plays all the time that I hunted down the soundtrack for- I knew we had to get more than just the four 7 year olds on the dance floor to dance. So I got up there with the kids and kind of made a fool of myself. And it was amazing. I MUST LEARN HOW TO PROPERLY DO SHOULDER MOVES. There were some guys that came up and were so into it. It’s got something to do with your hips, keeping your arms kind of straight and then somehow dislodging your shoulders from their sockets. Anyways, some Carly shimmies later, I thought to myself, I wonder what’s appropriate? Then thankfully some woman joined us, our host mom and Binu (host mom’s sister in law) joined us and it was a blast. Niveta called it quits after a song or two and once off the stage she told me my sari top was backwards. Um oops.

After that prolly uber Indian fashion faux pa, she wrapped me up good, hence my bizarre look for the rest of the night. Then we just took a bunch of pictures and a good time was had by all. Here's me with the most important men in my life in India. Note the distance. Haha. I was actually kind of surprised how much of a spectacle it was and that we didn’t actually see much of the bride and groom, like that it didn’t seem they were the center of attention. There was so much shiny-ness, lights and fireworks I was on external stimuli overload and didn’t really want it to end. I don’t think we stopped smiling or saying how much fun we had the whole ride home. Niveta said if we wanted an Indian wedding we could come back to India and she would help us arrange it. I’m not sure if I need to go to that extreme-um maybe who knows- BUT I do need to find a way to get to another Indian wedding. And where my top correctly.