A Spring Wedding

I just love weddings. 

And spring weddings, they are my favorite. Though 'Monsoon Wedding' is a highly publicized concept, but for me, spring does the charm (so much so that I've already decided to get married on a crisp March morning, not that there is someone in question yet ;-) but hmf.. a girl and her wedding fantasies. I tell you this is one of the things we girlies are good at, and we do love our wedding fantasies. :> )

Anyway, the reason for this nuptial fever is (i) Spring Season aka Wedding Season is about to begin here in India (obviously!), and (ii) I have my cousin's wedding round the corner (hurrah!!)

So, this post is going to be all about the fun affair, called Anand Karaj.

Apart from lots of shopping and yummy (and highly calorific) food, Indian, especially Punjabi weddings are famous for many other things (ooh, I really had to curb myself from using bullet points here; see, that's what making all those office presentations does to you) - the rocking Punjabi Music both on Dholak and DJ, the mocktail-cocktail parties, the flaunting of Daaj & Wari, Jaago, Ghodiyan, Tappe competition, Nagin dance by drunkards at the end of every wedding (hush hush ;-)) and what not.

The first event of a Punjabi wedding is - Roka, the starting of an official relationship between two families. In actual terms, Roka hails from the word Rokna (meaning to stop). It is symbolic of starting of a relationship (and a mighty wedding) by 'reserving' the boy and girl for each other. Roka is usually followed by a courting/preparatory period.

The actual wedding function commences with Akhand Path, which is continuous 3-day recital of Guru Granth Sahib ji - the religious scripture. Hindu families may perform other religious events to mark the auspicious event.

After that, the party begins. The Haldi ceremony followed by the Shagan ceremony next day, where the girl's side takes gifts of clothes, jewellery and sweets for the boy's family. 

Then there is a Mehndi/Ladies' Sangeet  function, involving lots of dance, chaat and chat (witty pun, innit?! lol). This is where ladies sing ghodiya, geet and suhaag. But the infamously naughty tappe competitions are the one that spice things up the most (I remember having heard really bold and risque lines being sung here; guess it brings out the naughtier side of the ladies ;>). And when finally the wedding booze takes over, we folks like to get out on the streets with a Dhol for Jaago (personally, this one is my favorite). Jaago means 'Wake Up', and everyone from wedding party gets out on the road in Masti dancing and singing at the top of their voices:

Jatta jaag pai

Vai hun jaago aaiya

(Wake up O Jatta!

Jaago has come to wake you up)

The intention of all the noise and singing is to wake as many people as you can, and involve them in your singing-dancing wedding rally on the road.

Then, comes the wedding day (no wonder Baarats get so late due to the late night partying and Jaago), which also has loads of ceremonies - sisters do Sehra-bandhi for the groom and feed Channa Daal to the Ghhodi, Bhabhi applies Surma in the eyes of the groom fondly, Sarwahla is any little boy in the home that accompanies the groom on the Ghodi, the dancing and saji-dhaji baarat, Milni at the wedding venue, Ribbon ceremony by the sisters-in-law, Joote Chupai, and finally Phere, Vidai and Kangna at groom's place.

All in all, Punjabi weddings make the most memorable of affairs, marking not only the union of a couple, but also of two families, a chance to dance, sing and enjoy, a time showing the love and fondness of mothers, sisters, bhabis and friends, an event to plan more weddings (thanks to our Match-maker aunties), also triggering some love stories on the dance floor, peppered with some petty fights and juicy gossips, enjoyed best with great food and booze.. (wink wink!)

Really looking forward to this Spring wedding in the family after so long.

So, are you coming along? :-)

Love,

Enigma