I wrote a very short email to a good friend soon after my trip to India; I now find myself referencing it to jog my memory. I should have recapped on this 10-day experience sooner, as I find my impressions and reflectiveness on the experience slipping away.
I’ll avoid any details of planning or site seeing, but feel free to comment or contact me if you’d like to hear more! Do have a browse through the rest of my Flickr photos.
So here goes:
The Background
Officially, my friend Nisha got married in October 2011, but in January this year she had another wedding: in India. With my close friend, I spent four days at the wedding, which included non-wedding activities and just hanging out in the city that the groom is from: Vidyanagar. My friend and I also spent another 6 days traveling in the region: Mumbai, Rajasthan (Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur), Agra, and Delhi.
The Wedding
Gujarat is a dry state: no alcohol. But this did not stop any festivities.
Noise. Colors. Aromas. Traditions. Music. And just plain happiness. When I think about the 3 days of wedding activities, my senses are filled: visually, auditory, physically. I can’t get over the enthusiasm of dancing down the street. The marching band playing in front leads the way. We stop traffic. The women’s saris are of course nothing but stunning and colorful. We dance the traditional circle dance, which at first I have trouble picking up: Left foot crossover right foot, back step, front step, right foot to the right, swing your arms in the same motion, clap, and repeat. Kicking up dust along the way, everyone is in-sync. There’s a feeling of rhythmic soothing, almost trance-like with the motions. Other traditions included religious sermons, a fire ceremony, and a water-pot carrying ceremony, where in the old villages the bride would carry water from her home to the groom’s home on her head. Without the water spilling, this would prove her strength and ability to care for the future of the family. Nisha had it easy in comparison. The decorated pots are much smaller then the traditional, and only a representation of olden days. Though, I hear it was still quite difficult! (The girls kept switching hands to hold the pot on their heads.)
