I started this blog last year to share my two month stay in India with friends and family back home. I thought of this primarily because when I got home from my first trip in 2009, so much had happened I couldn't remember everything I wanted to share.
It's all well and good to just cover topics from last summer forward, but let's just admit it...what people are really interested in is the wedding.
It's not something that can be summed up all neatly and tied with a bow. The wedding itself went on for three days and that isn't including the maddening days leading up to it.
Keep in mind that this was my first time not only in India, but in any non-Western country. So I was essentially overwhelmed 24 hours a day. Add to that meeting extended extended family and taking part in activities where I didn't know my ass from my elbow, and you can imagine the insanity of those few days.
So I won't go into any detail about that. (Also, I was so sleep deprived I'm not sure I remember any details anyway.)
So I will start with the first big wedding event: Mehndi (or henna as I knew it before that moment).
This was a bit of an ambush. It was supposed to take place the next day, all traditional style, but the family decided it would take too long so we'd just go ahead and get it over with. And thus I ended up with many many photos of me in hubby's aunt's pajamas. I don't remember now why they put me in her pajamas. But nevertheless, there I was.
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| Look at me, completely unsuspecting of how lengthy the process would really be |
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| Hey one arm! On one side! |
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| And five hours later. I have no idea where photos of my legs are. Perhaps every one was too tired to care by that point. Note the towels under my arms so I could relax without actually touching anything. |
After sleeping for a mere few hours (I must say, hubby had been napping all the while) trying to not move (such a restful sleep), guests began arriving (5am) and I was woken up, mendhi scraped off, plastic bags shoved on my hands and feet and told to shower. Oh the fun. Hubby whisked me off to the hotel where my family was staying, where I managed to steal a few more blissful hours of sleep before beginning the process of scrubbing all the ink and oils off my skin to leave just the stain.
A few hours later, preparations began for that evening's activity: the Sangeet.
A team of women had been hired to do my hair and makeup as well as that of most women in the family. By reason of insanity, they always started with me, then left me to sit for hours until everyone else was ready to go. I also learned on the very last day that none of these women had even seen a white woman before, much less done their makeup. Which explains why I had more bright makeup plastered onto my face than Barbie. (Did I mention they also didn't speak English and no one was around to translate?)
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| That outfit weighed about 20lbs. It turned out to be the lightest one I would wear. |
My mother-in-law's singing group performed for several hours. And when I say "several" I only wish I were exaggerating.
They don't sing all that well, and even hubby didn't understand most of the lyrics.
At one point, they attempted to sing Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline." They were at the chorus before my family and I realized what it was supposed to be.
Later came the story of how we met. As told by the leader of the singing group. I don't know where she got her facts from. Neither of us were asked, that's for sure.
In case you're wondering, we apparently met at a nightclub.
Yeah I didn't know that either.
The thing about something being done in your honor is that you're not allowed to stop paying attention. When it gets boring, you can't wander off to the side and talk to people (as 90% of the guests were doing). You can't even stare off into space because your photo is being taken constantly and you must be smiling happily in each and every one.
It was a night that semi-prepared me for what was to come. The next day would be the wedding and reception, and it was definitely a doozy.
