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February 16, 2005

Uh, we're with the groom's family?!

Maybe the only bonus of being an oddity, is that you get invited to the coolest things, just by being different....

On the first night we staying in Jaipur, Rajasthan, we learned that our hotel, the Hotel Hari Mahal is located across the street from a large open area that is rented out to weddings. As we sat in the courtyard of the hotel, we heard a lot of commotion from across the street: marching bands and fireworks. The hotel manager took us up onto the roof, and showed us the scene: an area the size of a small football field decked out in lights, thousands of people gathered to celebrate a wedding. Dozens of tables with food and drink. Lots of flowers and decorations. We looked down upon it in awe, the manager said that some weddings can have 5,000 to 10,000 guests!!! For proper form, all friends, relatives, acquantances, everyone is invited to an Indian wedding!

We were on our way to dinner on our second night at the hotel. We heard the band coming down the street and saw about a hundred of the couple's closest friends and family surrounded by a marching band with horns, trumpets, and drums. There are lights strung out hand-carried and powered up by a portable generator. The groom is sitting on horse back in a handsome suit. The women are garbed in their finest saris and jewels, and have their hands and feet decorated with henna. And everyone are in the middle of the street dancing up a storm. It was this moment that we stopped to soak it all up, when someone in the party yanked us into the dancing circle. We were shaken and pulled and pushed every which way by all the crazy relatives hooting and hollering. It was like a wedding mosh pit, honestly, even one of the grannies lost an earring! It was really fun and exciting to be in that.

The marching band played until people stopped giving money to the band. We were all still in the street, waiting to go into the park area. As we walked into the park, we realized we were underdressed, but welcomed with garlands of mums and roses. Not another white person in sight as we entered the food area.

It seems as if the sole purpose of the wedding was to eat, and the guests just socialized and ate--we tried everything, especially after learning that the caterer was buddhist and everything was vegetarian. Much of the food was prepared in batches, and we had to force our way into the fray when it was ready to serve. At this point, everyone shoved their plate up to the server, and it was a free-for-all--not a polite, oh, you go first, type of thing! Some of the servers noticed us and set some aside for us at the end. They were looking out for us because we looked so hopeless at times. The remainder of the food was out in hot trays, so we could help ourselves without incident.

We definitely stuck out. Many people stared at us, but many of the younger people came up and talked to us. Most just wanted to know our names, and giggled when we replied, and asked their names in return. A couple of kids in particular were really taken by us, and followed us around. We took the opportunity to talk to them about the different customs, and about the food we ate. Some high school kids joked around with us. Robin had a short conversation, well, more like a listen, with a female OB-Gyn doctor about family planning in India.

Interestingly, we never met the bride and groom. According to the guests, it was an arranged marriage, so both families were getting to know one another on a small stage while the guests mingled. It appeared that the reception is first, then, at midnight, the couple says vows and marries.

We spent about two hours with the party, enjoying our status as the 'special' guests. This was definitely a unique experience which we won't ever forget.

Unfortunately, we didn't have our camera with us, so this is all in our heads.

Posted by Matt & Robin on February 16, 2005 12:06 AM
Category: India
Comments

I can't believe the experiences you guys have had - talk about seeing it like the locals do!!! And you do a great job of putting it into words for us mere mortals back in the states suffering through another day of 9 to 5 to be able to live vicariously through you.

Posted by: don and pam on February 16, 2005 03:40 PM

Wow! That sounds so fun!

Posted by: kate on February 16, 2005 05:39 PM

Great to see you had a spectacular time a the wedding. Quite the experience! Your trip to Italy will be too early for us. The trip to Denmark, Netherlands, or England might be a better for us. We'll talk to Gloria, to see when her best time would be. We're going to Long Beach Island with Karen and Pam right after 4th of July. And, we're going to New Orleans at the end of April.

Posted by: Mom and dad on February 16, 2005 05:47 PM

Hi. So you have had the typical journey, ups and downs. Glad you chilled out in Goa. How was Mumbai? I fly down to Mumbai on Feb 22. Guess you guys will be somewhere else by then.

Posted by: Dusty on February 17, 2005 08:19 AM

darn where's the camera when you need it...sounds like a fabulous time. you will definitely remember that forever!

Posted by: amy on February 17, 2005 12:04 PM
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