Wedding for a Friend

Wedding for a Friend

Deepak K.

Friday evening, March 8, 2019

Click on any photo to see a sequence of larger format images.

Getting to the wedding party took quite some doing.

To be explained....

A temple in the countryside. Part human, part monkey, Hanuman is a central character in the Hindu epic, Ramayana. He is depicted as a man with the face and tail of a monkey. He is the son of Pawan, the Hindu god of the wind. Hanuman's attributes are daring, strength, and loyalty, strength, and daring.

We eventually make it.....

Depaakunu was visibly proud to accompany his uncle, Deepak, on this solemn and clamorous occasion. He seemed to consider himself our host and guide to all things India. He explained Indian customs and culture with great flair and a lilting voice. It was difficult to hear him with the noise of the drums, horns, and fireworks, but his intent shone through clearly. He is perhaps a sixth or seventh grader and lives in the same neighborhood as our school. We might well meet again one day and continue the tuition.

A gauntlet of sorts. The bride's family awaits the arrival of the groom. The flower petals will be showered upon him and his accompanying family members. When the ribbon is broken, the brides family accepts the groom into their family. It's must feel like the finish line for our friend, Deepak, who is looking a bit exhausted. It must be an emotionally draining experience, with day after day of ceremony and ritual leading up to this evening. We hope our presence was encouraging to him. We certainly felt greatly honored to be there.

Diane is radiant, as always. My headgear was presented by the bride's brother. A fine and kind gesture of welcome. Deepak's sister hosted us in moments she was free during the evening.

The waiting seems to stretch. A few characters grew impatient, though I could not tell why. There was a fellow in the bride's family who seemed a bit hot under the collar. Oh, well. It made more time for selfies.

And we wait...

...meanwhile, inside, the feast begins.

Deep fried balls of dough soaked in honey-water, with a zest of unnamed herb.
No sweet is quite so satisfying, especially when they're piping hot. Earth, wind, fire, water and nectar in perfect proportions. Ambrosia of the Subcontinent.

(The disposable spoons are wooden, a recent nod to environmental sustainability frequently seen these days in Delhi. The pollution problems are beginning to be addressed. Now, the foil coated paper plates and bowls are another story.)

We enjoyed all of the food on offer, understanding that the cleanliness of the country caterers might not be the same standard as at school. We're glad to report that all went down well. Our stomachs appear to be cast in iron, as ever.

Brand-new friends, we enjoy the sweet treat together, after a quick pose for a photo.

We were popular for photos this night. This wish to have a photo taken with special guests is very common in India. We enjoyed the honor and attention very much, for that is how it is meant. Of course, the same often happens out and about in public when a perfect stranger may ask to have a photo with a foreigner. It is generally meant as a gesture of welcome and friendship.

The groom's carriage passed by and now the crowd waits for its return from the village tour. The lighted parasols helped guests walk the rutted country lane safely.

Like weddings everywhere, lots of waiting and anticipation.

Blinked. Gotta retake the selfie. The plate of flower petals will be thrown like confetti to welcome the groom. As it turned out, the flower petals were supplemented with a demand for 15,000 rupees. I think it was it said in jest but not sure....

The ornate and weighty nose rings are not for daily wear. Blinked again.

Here comes the groom, looking like Shah Jahan, India's best known smitten emperor.

A shower of flowers from the bride's family welcomes the groom.

Cameras clicking and flashing are everywhere, blocking the view...for my camera. In Morocco, cameras were not so welcome at family and village affairs. That has surely changed, since the cameras are no longer just in the hands of foreign visitors but in everyone's hands.

The groom arrives. Is he showing signs of fatigue? Not surprising. Weddings carry the same demands and emotions worldwide. It still represents the same life step to the individuals.

Deepak was looking somewhat exhausted, indeed. This was day five of the wedding festivities. This was the big bash that would mark the official moment of marriage and tomorrow, they would be off for a few days honeymoon on their own.

Something gets his attention...

The mood lightens.

This is the smiling Deepak we are accustomed to seeing....not including the headgear and floral vest of crisp, new 50 Rupee notes.

Sis remains circumspect. Could I even hear the exchange above the din, its meaning would remain obscured in the Hindi we have yet to learn.

Deepak's sister accompanied him throughout the evening. She rode with him in the carriage and stayed by his side through each hurdle in the ceremony.

Like in Morocco, there is a ceremonial exchange of sweet foods.

In the following sequence of photos, it is clear something drole was shouted above the brouhaha:

Weddings everywhere are alike. It's all pomp and ceremony, offering endless opportunity for the clever remark and the smart aleck. Thank goodness.

Deepak is shod like Shah Jahan. (I trust this is both objective and inoffensive to remark.)

The groom takes the stage, settling into a comfortable chair to await his bride. A chair for her is set at his left.

And more photos while he waits.

Aneel is a colleague and friend from school. His resourceful use of GPS got us all to the wedding. There was no way in the world we would have made it on our own. Even Mr. Singh, the taxi driver, had no idea where we were.