This past weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to attend an Indian wedding!
My weekend started by worrying about Jonathan all Friday night. He was riding the bus rather late in the evening for the first time. I was to arrange transportation to pick him up!! Who would have known it would have been such a task?! Ravanan was away for the weekend visiting his family so it was nearly impossible to ask someone for help. Except for Manni. Manni was looking after us for the weekend. Manni speaks three words of English and just half smiles and stares at you when you attempt to communicate with him. Manni is a driver for the Periyar Complex. So after many awkward, funny, and at times frustrating dialogues I was finally able to convey that I needed him to drive to pick up Jonathan. It even involved Jenna showing him a picture of Jonathan and him studying the picture for several minutes and then finally repeating Jonathan's name. So, Manni and I went to pick up Jonathan-he didn't arrive in Trichy until 11:30!!!! I was very happy to see him!!
When we arrived at the wedding we were forced to eat despite the fact that we had literally eaten about 1.5 hours before. But it was all good because there were several different varieties of semeya upmah with chutney-which is my favorite two dishes! There was also this sweet on the side which was quite possible the greatest sweet I have ever had. The coffee was also the first coffee that I've had that actually had a strong coffee flavor. All the food was of course served on banana leaves!
After food we went and got dressed. Anusha, her mother, and her aunt dressed us girls. We then went down to the main floor where the wedding was taking place. There was a music circle and a ceremony happening on stage. It was unclear most of the time what was actually going on with all the people on the stage. There were many gifts being passed back and forth. The bride sat on her father's lap to signify leaving the family. The bride received at least three new sarees while we were sitting there and with each one she was to go and change into it. All the sarees at the wedding (the brides and the guests) were absolutely beautiful. Most people wear silk to weddings. The silk sarees are heavier, vibrant, and so pretty.
After sometime the groom went to temple. The bride waited around the wedding hall. During this time there was a drum performance which was very nice. Finally, the bride came out of the wedding hall and got in her own little chariot which was carried by four men. The groom was coming around the corner with a whole parade he had some how picked up at the temple. In the front was an elephant, a camel to follow, dancing horses (which made me sad), and a chariot pulled by four horses with the groom in it! Fireworks and firecrackers were sent off as they went to go and meet each other. Traffic in the street stopped and a full on parade/carnival was happening! It was craziness. There was even a really awkward pink bunny!!
After watching the stage for some more time we were then instructed to...you guessed it...eat again! I was not prepared for the meal that they were going to put in front of me. I am not even sure what I ate, I just know I wasn't hungry and there was a lot of food. But the nice thing about banana leaves is that you fold it over when you are done to signify that you do not want anymore food...I folded mine over and it had a bulge in the middle!!
The next morning we set off for the wedding hall again. Laura and I were quickly put into our sarees by Anusha and her aunt and we headed off to watch the actual vows take place. It was a lot of watching the stage again not really knowing what was going on but a lot of it seemed beautiful and interesting. The bride of course received another saree. For the actual vows she had on a deep red saree which looked beautiful with her long hair that was wrapped in jasmine flowers. She also had on tons of gold jewelry as she kept getting that as presents too-so she had to wear them all. There was also a large gold belt adorned around her waist-it complimented the red of her saree.
Before we left we were almost forced to eat another meal at the wedding but luckily we stood strong and insisted that we would wait for our lunch at the guest house! The wedding definitely got me thinking about arranged marriages. This wedding was in fact an arranged marriage. The couple met in February and has not dated. I think it is interesting.
Jonathan and I spent the afternoon going on a walk exploring my town. We came across a beautiful temple which is not too far away and a new happening soda joint called Mr. Soda. It was their opening day so we go free samples of their soda which is made out of natural ingredients and mineral water. The mango soda was quite tasty. And of course Mr. Jonathan had to try the beer flavored soda-he liked it, I wasn't convinced that it tasted like beer and I really didn't care for it!! After a lovely afternoon I sent him back on a bus which we both hoped was going to his desired destination!
My weekend started by worrying about Jonathan all Friday night. He was riding the bus rather late in the evening for the first time. I was to arrange transportation to pick him up!! Who would have known it would have been such a task?! Ravanan was away for the weekend visiting his family so it was nearly impossible to ask someone for help. Except for Manni. Manni was looking after us for the weekend. Manni speaks three words of English and just half smiles and stares at you when you attempt to communicate with him. Manni is a driver for the Periyar Complex. So after many awkward, funny, and at times frustrating dialogues I was finally able to convey that I needed him to drive to pick up Jonathan. It even involved Jenna showing him a picture of Jonathan and him studying the picture for several minutes and then finally repeating Jonathan's name. So, Manni and I went to pick up Jonathan-he didn't arrive in Trichy until 11:30!!!! I was very happy to see him!!
When we arrived at the wedding we were forced to eat despite the fact that we had literally eaten about 1.5 hours before. But it was all good because there were several different varieties of semeya upmah with chutney-which is my favorite two dishes! There was also this sweet on the side which was quite possible the greatest sweet I have ever had. The coffee was also the first coffee that I've had that actually had a strong coffee flavor. All the food was of course served on banana leaves!
After food we went and got dressed. Anusha, her mother, and her aunt dressed us girls. We then went down to the main floor where the wedding was taking place. There was a music circle and a ceremony happening on stage. It was unclear most of the time what was actually going on with all the people on the stage. There were many gifts being passed back and forth. The bride sat on her father's lap to signify leaving the family. The bride received at least three new sarees while we were sitting there and with each one she was to go and change into it. All the sarees at the wedding (the brides and the guests) were absolutely beautiful. Most people wear silk to weddings. The silk sarees are heavier, vibrant, and so pretty.
After sometime the groom went to temple. The bride waited around the wedding hall. During this time there was a drum performance which was very nice. Finally, the bride came out of the wedding hall and got in her own little chariot which was carried by four men. The groom was coming around the corner with a whole parade he had some how picked up at the temple. In the front was an elephant, a camel to follow, dancing horses (which made me sad), and a chariot pulled by four horses with the groom in it! Fireworks and firecrackers were sent off as they went to go and meet each other. Traffic in the street stopped and a full on parade/carnival was happening! It was craziness. There was even a really awkward pink bunny!!
After watching the stage for some more time we were then instructed to...you guessed it...eat again! I was not prepared for the meal that they were going to put in front of me. I am not even sure what I ate, I just know I wasn't hungry and there was a lot of food. But the nice thing about banana leaves is that you fold it over when you are done to signify that you do not want anymore food...I folded mine over and it had a bulge in the middle!!
The next morning we set off for the wedding hall again. Laura and I were quickly put into our sarees by Anusha and her aunt and we headed off to watch the actual vows take place. It was a lot of watching the stage again not really knowing what was going on but a lot of it seemed beautiful and interesting. The bride of course received another saree. For the actual vows she had on a deep red saree which looked beautiful with her long hair that was wrapped in jasmine flowers. She also had on tons of gold jewelry as she kept getting that as presents too-so she had to wear them all. There was also a large gold belt adorned around her waist-it complimented the red of her saree.
Before we left we were almost forced to eat another meal at the wedding but luckily we stood strong and insisted that we would wait for our lunch at the guest house! The wedding definitely got me thinking about arranged marriages. This wedding was in fact an arranged marriage. The couple met in February and has not dated. I think it is interesting.
Jonathan and I spent the afternoon going on a walk exploring my town. We came across a beautiful temple which is not too far away and a new happening soda joint called Mr. Soda. It was their opening day so we go free samples of their soda which is made out of natural ingredients and mineral water. The mango soda was quite tasty. And of course Mr. Jonathan had to try the beer flavored soda-he liked it, I wasn't convinced that it tasted like beer and I really didn't care for it!! After a lovely afternoon I sent him back on a bus which we both hoped was going to his desired destination!
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