The wedding, Day 3. mad dogs and Englishmen

Our first task today is to walk into town to find an AMT machine.  Taxis run on cash.

Today’s ceremony is meant to symbolise Dan’s heritage. So - men in suits.  Yesterday’s ceremony paid respect to Varnika’s heritage.

Nothing could have prepared us for the spectacle which is an Indian wedding.  It started around 5.00pm.  We knew it would be colourful, noisy and long.  And Dan had explained a few of the things that would happen, but we never really paid as much attention as we should have.  So I’m a bit mesmerised when I’m called to sit before a Hindu priest to take part in a ritual where the instructions are essentially in Sanskrit.

All the guests heed the dress-code.  Men in Kurtas of varying degrees of flamboyance and women in Saris or long sparkly dresses. Dan has a turban.  It’s not just plonked on his head - there is a ritual to it.  Varnika’s mum gives him pearls as a gift to wear with it.  There’s not much I can say about Varnika’s dress.  She simply looks stunning.  Anniemay has more.

Some parts of the ceremony are taken very seriously - others are more light hearted. At one point the bride’s female friends steal Dan’s shoes and hide them; this is to prevent him from running away from the marriage.  Chris had to pay good money to get them back.

Halfway through the evening I put my camera away.  There are phones everywhere and two professional photographers.  They have it covered.  

At 11.00pm the happy couple leave the venue to start their new life together.  They just go around the block in the car and come back to the party. As they do so, the respective parents are meant to show their sadness at losing their children.  

For Varnika’s mum the tears are real.   She always knew there would come a day when she’d have to share her with another woman.  She takes Anniemay’s hand; “I was her mum - now you are her mum”.  And cries.