sush got married..was the summer of '09

In my two years of abode in south city of India, I have witnessed three marriages. I attended two from groom's side & one from bride's side.

This labour’s day I went to attend the marriage of my colleague friend sushmita's (name changed) marriage. Prior to going there i had to decide the gift which was tough as well as boring for the kiddie like me. None of my friends (including girls) gave any suggestion.

Because of the fact that Sushmita is so thin that a little more advanced propeller will lift her in the air, the very first thought for the gift which swept around my head was the protienx, boost or horlicks. But you cannot give that in someone's wedding. Finally i decided something, which later on I realised, was more appropriate for girls rather than women & as marriage is a state conversion process from girl to women, all i could do was to feel sorry.

I am a little paranoid about what others think about me, so i preferred not to attend the reception (ie why I fear of my own marriage as well). I always liked to be a silent spectator rather than a cheer leader. At last I finalised on attending the marriage ceremony to witness the rituals of a wedding in kannada fashion, which was supposed to be carried out at 8:30 in the morning. I sacrificed my morning sleep & got up at 6am.

Defying my expectations Sushmita noticed me within five minutes of my arrival, although i tried not to distract her attention from the most crucial turn of her life. From the mandap (stage) only she somehow informed her brother about my presence, who then humbly showed me the way to hospitality services. After enjoying breakfast, for the next two hours i kept watching the rituals closely as if someday i have to perform them in an interstate wedding of mine.

Sushmita was dressed in white & during the rituals they made her stand on a rose, made up of card board, which reminded me of goddess sarashwati as we see in pictures. I guess south marriages don’t have seven rounds around the fire. Couple lived up every moment while sprinkling rice of different colours & other stuffs on each other’s faces.

Marriages in south are very simple. In place of orchestra & bands they have classical instruments. In place of spicy food they serve simple daily food. In place of sherwani & suits groom wear simple dhoti. And above all you will find the couple enjoying their wedding, which is something north marriages (conventional) are really missing.

North Indian brides are bound to be serious in their wedding to express the grief of leaving her parents & mingling to an unknown world of strangers. Similarly north Indian grooms are forced not to enjoy their marriage so that their excitement of getting married is not leaked out.

It was a great fun as well as learning experience to attend a kannada marriage, because for me this is the best way to come across the vast Indian culture.