A WEDDING IN MY FAMILY
Last week I attended the wedding of my cousin. There was an atmosphere of gaiety and glamour. Preparations for the marriage had been going on for a number of days. There had been various functions. Two days before the wedding, the ‘Tilak Ceremony’ was held. The bride’s party had come to our house and gave clothes, watch etc to the bridegroom. In the evening, there was the ladies sangeet. Girls and women danced and sang songs. The next day we had a cocktail part. On wedding day, in the afternoon, all the elders of the house applied tilak on the bridegroom’s forehead. He was decked up handsomely. We all were dressed in our best attires. The marriage procession started at around 4 p.m. The bridegroom was riding a decorated mare. Band was playing the tunes of the latest hit songs. Young boys and girls were dancing to the tunes of the band. All the elderly men were wearing pink turbans. The bridegroom’s sister was very gorgeously dressed. She, too, was a newly married girl. The party reached the bride’s house at around 7 p.m. We were served cold drinks and snacks. Then there was the garlanding ceremony. The bride and groom exchanged garlands. It was followed by a photograph session. We were given a delicious dinner. The marriage was solemnized among the recitation of Vedic mantras and other rituals. In the early hours of the morning, we returned to our house with a very beautiful and charming bride. Everybody was very happy.