A Small, Short Indian Wedding

This is the wedding season and having attended innumerable ceremonies and functions over time, I was delighted to attend a small, short wedding that retained its traditional feel. This got me thinking about the essence of happy occasions that involve social gatherings. I think the core of such events lies in the people themselves. There is a certain threshold beyond which a celebration loses its personal impact; something not many people realize - so used to jostling crowds are we in India. The recent functions I attended were simply done, with maximal family participation - which meant that we were warmly met by a range of relatives while the hosts were free to carry out the prayers and ceremonies in a relaxed manner. There was an air of ease and warmth which made one feel very much at home and no one pushed their views on how things ought to be done on unsuspecting guests! The food was not overwhelming in richness and variety - just fresh and well made and served. The rituals were cut down from two days to half a day, retaining the essence of the ceremonies. At the end, walking away from the marigold strewn rooms and the pleasant and courteous people, one felt warm and content - as if all of us had been drawn together to celebrate a very nice moment in time - which is as it should be.

Everyone doing their own thing (at the paan stall)!