Nov. 18, 2011 Jaipur - The Wedding

The Bride!

I went to the old city today to meet with Rama, my new "friend" who is trying to sell me jewelry.  He took me on the back of his bike to the optometrist to get my new glasses and waited to help me pick out the frames.  They will be ready on the 23rd and at 1/2 of the U.S. cost.

Rama also found me a computer repair place and I dropped it off on the way to Vandu's house.  He will call me Monday with the prognosis.  I got to the house, and no one was there!  How was I to get into this sari?  Oh well, the driver will try to find the venue, the Shreeji Palace, and I will take it from there.

I arrived at the wedding after about an hour of the driver being lost and immediately looked for someone to help me with the sari.  I found a young girl who spoke English and she said her mother could help me; her mother only spoke Hindi.  After much ado, I was in the sari and looking quite spiffy!  I bought it in Delhi and it is made out of Kashmiri silk in teal blue and gold.

The party was a bit slow, as there was more photo-taking than anything.  It actually went on for many hours as the bride and groom sat on the main stage in what could only be called thrones.  Everyone and their mama (including me) had their photo taken with the couple.  The surrounding tables were packed with food, cooks, and chai and everyone enjoyed good food and conversation.  As it turns out, the auspicious time for the actual ceremony, 7 turns around a fire as the priest chants, would not take place until 2 am, way past my bedtime.  Rama was at the airport dropping off a client and offered to come pick me up and take me to my hotel, so I left about 10:30 pm.  It was a bit anti-climactic as the best party was yesterday.

Nov. 17, 2011 Jaipur - The Wedding

Vandu, husband & baby

I arrived at Vandu's (the sister-in-law of the groom) home way out by the airport at 1 pm to prep for the wedding of her brother-in-law. I met Vandu on a traveler's website called Couchsurfing.com. She invited anyone who was in the area to come to the wedding, and so far, 18 CSers have shown up. They are all staying in the basement of her unfinished house - bare concrete, dust & noise - on mats on the floor, with the exception of one bed. The 2 girls who arrived first occupy the bed. I am glad I got a hotel rather than just show up here. Vandu asks me, "aren't you staying here with us?" I don't know what to say.... And the bride and groom are moving into the house after the wedding!

It's mayhem and disorganization - no one can find their things, and food is being served in a bucket (veggie meatballs of some kind in curry sauce) with flatbread. None of us know where the venue is located, what time the party starts, or in fact, anything about the wedding that is to to take place over the next 2 days. The girls have bought sari's with no petticoat or top; I am not sure how they will wear them without the pieces to tuck the sari into or pin it up.

Vandu is a bit harried, but manages to look stunning in a 12,000 rupee, sequin decorated sari and loads of gold jewelry. Her husband wears a long white and silver jacket with Neru collar and large silver lame' pants. I help the groom with his cuff links as he pulls on the jacket to his rather dashing sharkskin suit with fitted pants. He looks great!

We pile into a jeep and are off the the Shreeji Palace where a large stage with professional lighting & DJ is set up and a smaller one with 2 thrones for the bride & groom. There are tables of food and approximately 10-13 cooks preparing fresh dishes. The women are decked out in their finest saris loaded with sequins, pearls, and rhinestones. They wear elaborate "gold" jewelry; necklaces, rings and bangles stacked half-way up their arms, and look brilliant!

After eating a little of everything, the ceremony started. The priest chanted and performed a ceremony with the groom, then the bride arrives - hands and arms covered a an elaborate henna design, a stunning sari, jewelry covering her ears, arms, neck and chest and looking so very beautiful. She looked demure and submissive with her head bowed and downcast eyes. It is an arranged marriage and the bride and groom hardly know each other.

Groom

 

Another the ceremony takes place, many gifts are bestowed and the dance performances begin; one after another for about 2 hours. There is a couple, brother and sister, who are the best performers having had many years to practice. Friends and family went onstage, waved money above the heads of the performers, then deposited the money on a plate at the side of the stage. Everyone got onstage to dance to dance at the end, disco style. All in all, a fun night!

The trip back to the hotel was a bit scary as I was not so sure about the rickshaw driver, the streets were dark, and with the construction for the new metro, was at best, bone jarring as I bounced at least 2-3 inches off the seat at times. I think I will get the number for the regular taxi and pay a bit more for comfort and safety tomorrow!