Wedding of Me? No No!! You got it wrong! I am takling about my cousin’s wedding. Actually I wrote a two pages long post for it and went to dinner. While chewing the delicious leg of chicken I bought two hours ago, I asked mum the details of marriage ceremony. She counted me the various little events that are part of a marriage and I was amazed. Because in marriages, I used to look for girls, sweets and treats from grandpa(he gave treats to keep us from starting trouble). I never quite noticed all these things. So decided to keep my ESSAY as draft.
And here is how TYPICAL marriage in MY VILLAGE happens. (Place: Karad, Maharashtra, India)
(Disclaimer for nuts(from my state) who think what they do is ONLY correct: All things I am gonna explain here, HAPPEN in my village, if in your place, people don’t do ANY thing like this, I don’t care, its not my fault)
My other friends, in some days, you will know why I am pissed off on some of my co-state frnds.
Start: My village is located in Maharashtra, India. Its near Karad town.
Wedding is most famous event in world. At my homeplace, for wedding, nearly all village gets invited. Everyone gives his/her best suit/saree a try and be ready to go. A vehicle (99% a truck) is kept ready to transport all people to wedding place which is MOST commonly GIRLS (bride’s) home.
The events started when we left groom’s home.
0. The groom left his home on a decorated horse. He traveled upto the boundary of village with a BAND and his friends enjoying, dancing in front of crowd. Then we took off for Bride’s home in car followed closely by truck full of people.
1. On reaching on traditional boundary of host village, we were welcomed by group of old and honourable citizens. This event is called as “MEETING”. The groom then sits again on horse and the crowd walks cheering and dancing on music of BAND leading the way.
2. On reaching the final place, a small event took place in which we
were offered sweets as welcome. A Pujari (“Hindu bramhin” person similar to the one who conducts wedding in church) did some traditional sort of things (procedures) after that.
3. The groom then again mounted on the horse and the crowd followed him to all Temples in the village. This is called as “SHREE VANDAN” meaning getting blessings from all the local gods temples.
Finally my cousin stopped at temple of lord “Maruti” (who is unmarried as per puranas) where he tried to make a necklase (Mani-Mangal sutra) for bride(as per tradition of course).
4. The groom returned to marriage place where some “married” women did POOJA of horse and grom. Its called “Washing legs of
horse” (this honour is for sisters of bride’s father) (Note: names of events can seem weird coz they are literal translations. In my mothertongue, they don’t sound ridiculas). Every woman is presented a gift from the groom this time. 😀
5. Haldi Ceremony: Next event was most IMP. The bride and groom seated side by side where all women applied termeric
(Haldi) to both of them. (See photo on left). I don’t know reason behind this event, may be I need to ask some very old grandma. But everyone thinks it as major event.
6. Now here comes a weird tradition. After Haldi, groom and bride take a bath with Haldi clothes on. Honour of pouring first mug of water is of the local barber in village. I never knew it tradition before because whenever I saw, I thought its local barber is our family
friend or something thats why he is leading or helping. 😛
7. Marriage:Finally came the time of marriage. The Pujari (on right) announced that brides Mama(mother’s brother) and Grooms Mama should now bring them in. This announcement is so famous
that if Pujari do not say it, we dont feel like being at wedding. And then answer to his announcement came from clouds. Lightning illuminated the place for a second followed by a thunderous sound. The rain was trying few drops when the couple was brought in the tent.
They stood facing each other, only separated by a white cloth held by two persons and some minutes. Two Mama’s stood behind their nephews. They had swords with a Lemon on tip in their hands. The Pujari then started singing lines called “Mangalashtaka”. Word is made from “mangal = good, holy” and “ashtaka = 8 liners”. So it means holy songs of 8 lines each ending with “Shubh Mangallllllllll Saaaawdhaaaaan……”. Rain decided to stay to see the marriage and ceremony continued and no one even tried to run for some cover. Everyone continued.
At every chorus of ShubhMangalllll…., people threw(?) I mean poured coloured rice beans over the couple. The last song always contain last line as “Go celebrate do some firecrackers”. Earsplitting firecrackers are always blasted on perfect timing. One group of youngsters is dedicated to this.
The couple was united for not just lifetime but for 7 birth-death cycles (as oer puranas).
9. The couple then put “Ful(flowers) Mala” (Somebody suggest english word for this) to each other. The groom put the necklase called “Mangal Sutra” (which is favorite subject of Hindi Movies) around
bride’s neck.
10. Then other small traditional procedures continued which contained “Kanyadan” (meaning giving[leterally- donating] daughter to groom) and “
Yadnya” (see link).
11. Finally after the feast, people headed back to homes. The crying event 😀 by mother and other women from bride’s side (now wife of my brother) went on for some time. We brought our brother and sister-in-law home with joy. Following night was for celebrating. The new married couple goes around the village sitting in a Horse Cart(with two horses and decorated like hell) in nightlamps carried by some people. The groups of celebrating people dance in front of them on rocking music by accompaining BAND. its called “Varat” in Marathi (language). Varat continues late at night. Women who were unable to attend wedding stop them and meet them. Everybody who meets them give blessings and couple visit every temple and Local God’s places.
The traditions continue next five days.
I guess my brother will be able to go to his first HM after that. 😀 He is not complaining though because he likes these traditions and so do I. May be I am going to do all these things in my wedding just for sake of our great “Sanskruti”.
Early morning. Around 7.30 AM. Somewhere on Nagar Road, Pune.
Life Love and Logic 
