BY ANIL SWAMY 

 

 

WEDDING of our siblings’ son in US brought us at Camden in Portland Maine at a Sea kissing beautiful resort, where on Saturday the ‘Marriage’ was conducted in typical south Indian style and Sunday in a church. Our Groom born and brought up in Australia and the Bride from Boston did make a lovely pair. From Boston, we took a three hours’ train ride to reach Portland Maine, to reach Camden, a beautiful and scenic Seaside small town and a tourist destination during Summers. The dress codes were made compulsory and with elaborate arrangements and logistic support for Sarees and other attires, provided by my better half. The fun begun with at least hundred American ladies tying colourful Sarees. It took my wife and her sister some good four hours to drape all the ladies presentably. All the Indian ladies are adept at carrying themselves in our traditional dress but most of the ‘Phirang’ ladies had to make quite an effort to handle their dress while walking and prancing and dancing resulting in the most hilarious ‘Oops Moments’. Draped in Sarees they would often lift their dresses to walk around, creating comic flutters to make all laugh loud. The situation was fit for William Shakespeare to create another ‘Comedy of Errors’.

 

Every Indian lady present, was tasked to look after three to four guests and my God! that was tough and mind boggling for the entire evening. All the men found it easy to wear and carry themselves quite elegantly in ‘Churidaars and Sherwanis’, personally selected by them, from the catalogues, later bought and couriered from India. ‘Mehendi’ was applied by Gujrati ladies settled in Boston and almost all the American ladies were overjoyed by the Artistic ‘Mehendi’ on their hands, palms and feat. It was a novelty for them as Tattoos are permanent but ‘Mehendi’ can be applied in different patterns any day. Apart from many health benefits like cooling, curing skin diseases, rashes, itching due to microbial properties, ‘Mehendi’ also added to the ‘celebratory’ mood. Much to my annoyance, my wife had gone marketing for ‘Bindi/ Bindiya’ of various colours and designs in extreme heat of Nagpur, which for me was an irrelevant item in an overseas wedding but Voila! here it turned out to be the ‘Show Stopper’. Most American ladies, they looked stunningly elegant with a ‘Bindiya’ on their forehead.

 

They bee lined for putting ‘Bindi’ of different colours and designs, matching their dresses, then forcing their spouses to standby for a memorable click. Myriad of colourful ‘Sarees’ and Sherwanis had painted the entire evening into true Indian colours. After the ‘Marriage ceremony’ and ‘Vegan Dinner’, all hit the dance floor and danced their heart out. It was an absolute fun to watch but all Indian ladies had a tough time to pull away ‘Phirang’ ladies and re-do their dresses. We have been frequently travelling overseas, but for the first time, were fortunate to witness the immense popularity of ‘Vibrant Colours of Indian culture’, anywhere out of India. Even the resort stewards, caterers and photographers requested us to help them dress up in Indian attires. Thanks to ladies at home who had packed extra set of dresses. The translation of ‘mantras’ during rituals and purpose of each ceremony were provided to all the guests beforehand so that they could enjoy the wedding.

 

Blessings showered by two ‘Ninety plus Parents’ of my brother in law and his wife, as the newly-weds touched their feet, was cheered wildly by all. Every American, Italian, British and Australian, at the wedding was mighty impressed by the sacred ceremonies and rituals of the Indian wedding. At least nine American families have committed to visit India. Two families even want to marry their daughters in Indian Vedic traditions. Powerful impact of the colourful and sacred rituals on hundred fifty guests (considered a small crowd) in comparison to any wedding back home, where even an attendance of five hundred isn’t termed lavish, was evident on all, as while they left, we heard them humming Bollywood tunes and praising “Colourful and Vibrant India”. Shah Rukh khan had struck right notes in “Dharti sunehari, Amber Nila, har mausam rangeela, Aisa Desh hai Mera”...