Punjabi Wedding

Nitya and her family were invited to a wedding this week – fortunately I was able to tag along. The family who invited us was from Punjab. Punjab is a region straddling the border between India and Pakistan. The Punjabis, known for their zest for life, vivaciousness and of course, the bhangra, know how to pull all stops when it comes to celebrating. And what better occasion to celebrate than a wedding in the family? Fortunately for us, we were invited to three ceremonies. Firstly, the Sagai, held a few days before the wedding in which the family of the girl visits that of the boy's carrying beautifully wrapped gifts and the tikka material. This particular event was held at the finest hotel in New Delhi, The Imperial http://www.theimperialindia.com/home.htm Secondly, we attended the Mehendi, where they applied mehendi to the palms of the female members, and the hands and feet of the bride. A basket containing bindis and bangles was handed around so girls could choose those that matched the outfit they wore for the wedding. Thirdly, tonight, we attended the wedding ceremony. The groom arrived on a chariot pulled by white horses surrounded by elephants. The venue was decorated by millions of flowers and lights. They served a large variety of over a hundred different types of foods. I’m positive that this ONE event cost over one million dollars. This particular ceremony felt like a dream.