They were certainly an eventful three days. The main- actually, only- reason we were there at all was to celebrate M's wedding. Something we had looked forward to for a while now, since she informed us of the plans and the confirmation of the date. I had received the invite a few weeks earlier, though tickets had been booked a month in advance. The travel plans were made, and we were gonna meet up after 3 years apart. As a group, we had gotten close since we had all studied our Masters together. Our time together certainly brought us close, and this remained despite the distance that life had put in between us,with only fleeting visits and phone calls to each other. M and i were travelling together; and P was arriving on the same day to Gau. the only sad part about the whole thing was that K wouldn't be able to make it, making what would have been our first complete reunion incomplete.
Day 1!
M and i were up since 4 :30, she had struggled close to half an hour to wake me up, finally succeeding, and we made our way to the airport. She was leaving Bangalore for good, and this meant taking all of her belongings with her, but we managed to get through security without having to pay,carrying some three pieces of hand luggage each. After a four hour flight, we finally landed in balmy Gauhati (33 degrees , the airhostess informed us), and went to M's house directly, her brother picking us up and M driving us the rest of the way home. I managed to snooze for a few mins as well, curling up on the front seat (advantage: my size!) and leaving M to handle all of the pesky pedestrians, reckless rickshaws and the like. We made it back comfortably, in one piece, and went up to M's house on the 4th floor of her apartment building, and she informed me it was the first such complex in the area, though there were quite a few coming up around that place now.
We went up, and entered her house. Even at first glance, it looked like a house which had been decorated with a very fine eye. Delicate lace curtains as well as matching thicker curtains, green, and red, and purple! M's room looks like the ideal room that all teenage girls would have wanted to grow up in, big bed, dressing table, pictures all around, and loads of space for books, with a view which though now was filling up with other apartment complexes must have been much nicer a few years ago. Anyway, back to our activities; Aunty had prepared a lovely lunch which we wolfed down, having not eaten anything else the entire day. The only problem at this time was the fact that there was no electricity; apparently there had been a massive storm the past week sometime, and there was no power in the entire state!
M and i, in the meantime learnt that P had also arrived , and was already out shopping somewhere! Mu had sent a car to pick us up, and after spending time getting ready, we went to the first event of the wedding- the Bachelorette Party! :) That's when we saw the lovely bride... I hadn't seen her in a year, and she was glowing! A few of her friends were already there, and after a few mins the rest arrived including her sister and darling-est neice Maya! It was a few hours of laughter, fun, getting together, catching up and meeting new people, good food, drink, in AC comfort, and of course girl-talk! I'm sorry, the most important thing I have left for the last-but never the least- taking pictures! :D The house we were in was located on the 6th floor of a building overlooking the glorious Brahmaputra, and we were able to enjoy the wonderful sight of the sun setting over the water. It was idyllic... all the more because of the company around. With Maya running around giving all of us hugs around the legs, and the chatter and comfort, all exhaustion slipped away. Games and gifts came next with more laughter and congratulations all around. Then in a slight twist to the Bachelorette Party, the groom and his friends made their appearance, and the celebrations continued in greater proportions- out came the cake with fancy candles, and more greeting new people.
We then move on to the next event, immediately after the party was ... another one! This time the mehendi. We, M, P, and I went back to change and then made our way to Mu's house for the next event. There, at her home, we met the family in full force, her parents most importantly, calmly handling the fact that there was no electricity and the house was full of people moving up and down. The cousins and neighbours in full-force all being a part of painting their hands with mehendi making fanciful and pretty patterns on hands; the bride of course, again at the centre of it all, yet still managing to focus on everyone to make sure they were comfortable. Truly one of the nicest persons I know! After this, we had sumptuous dinner home cooked and simple which tasted so good! End of day 1 when M drove us back home. Ah! Blessed sleep
Day 2!
It was the day of the Jurun, when the bride would be welcomed into the groom's family. Am not very sure of the exact significance, but this is when the women of groom's family come with gifts to the bride. We were there with the bride, of course, taking more photos of this vision in a peach mekhala, this girl with whom we had lounged around with in sweat shirts now looking very much a woman who was taking a step in moving forward with her life with the person she had chosen. From the moment they came to invite her from her room, to all the gifts they were giving her, emotions were close to the surface. Blessing asked for and given, the rest of the family and well wishers around her watching this Assamese tradition of welcome with not only clothes and jewellery but also food, and of course the paan. With camera flashes all the time, one would have well thought there was a celebrity there, and didn't she look like one! With her sweet smile present throughout, and sometimes tears showing her emotions, surrounded by friends and family, her beauty shone. Ok, are my emotions colouring my view? Nope, I think it was true, she looked amazing! We then had more mouth watering food, especially fish! Too many details? Sorry! but it needs a mention :)
Next event of the day was the Sangeet, later in the evening. We again got ready for the event, after some rest, though the electricity had again gone off! It was an event, just outside the home, small with close friends and family. Young singers and dancers- Mu's cousins, a trained singer, folk songs and dances by the women as well as dance and again, pictures make this close intimate time a wonderful event. Another home cooked meal of simple food completed a full day, and now we only had the main event to look forward to! With reminders to the bride to look after herself, and get enough sleep, we left the family home where she would spend her last night as a single girl.
Day 3!
Mu had other events during the day that had to be completed- which we skipped. We spent the day in Guwahati, exploring a few spots before making our way to a coffee shop, mainly to sit in an a/c environment! Once we felt better, we then went back to M's home, and were relaxing there when there suddenly were tremors! Though I had grown up in Shillong and there earthquakes are so common one does not think twice, this was a bad one... We were on the 4th floor of an apartment complex which was swaying dangerously; three girls alone in the house, each terrified. It lasted for quite a long time, and we then we realized the things we had done which, ahem, will not be put down here. Anyway, it did take some time for us to recover, and once we did had to prepare for the wedding! M's mom and brothers were going with us for the wedding, and we all got ready and finally made it to the bride's reception. There, we saw Mu on her seat greeting guests who came to bless and wish her, by now surrounded by gifts. Her friends were with her during this time, and she was looking comfortable in her role of wishing people, posing for pictures, handling the little children who ran up and down playing. We then waited for the bride's reception to wind down, and awaited the groom's arrival. Once it was time, the bride left the stage to change into the white and gold mekhala given to her the previous day at the Jurun.
The groom came; with fireworks and a band which was so full of energy that people around joined in the dancing which continued for a long time while the groom was in the car, while the women of the bride's family tried to tease him. When he finally entered the hall, it was to complete some rituals along with Mu's father. In the meantime, Mu was in the green room, changed into her wedding clothes. We saw her, again, beautiful bride all dressed up, and again emotions charged up high, as she hugged her mother who would not attend the wedding ceremony itself. A touching moment which made us all tear up as we saw a moment of pure human emotion. She then went out, to add another layer to her identity, that of a wife, daughter-in-law.
That was the end of the three days we had taken out of our regular lives to attend a wedding- where family was paramount, not just family we are born with, but family we choose along the way-the friends who help us become who we are. It was a beautiful wedding; and only the beginning of, I am sure, a journey of togetherness, through all of life's ups and downs. I wish with all my heart, the very best for two wonderful people, Mu and C.
Day 1!
M and i were up since 4 :30, she had struggled close to half an hour to wake me up, finally succeeding, and we made our way to the airport. She was leaving Bangalore for good, and this meant taking all of her belongings with her, but we managed to get through security without having to pay,carrying some three pieces of hand luggage each. After a four hour flight, we finally landed in balmy Gauhati (33 degrees , the airhostess informed us), and went to M's house directly, her brother picking us up and M driving us the rest of the way home. I managed to snooze for a few mins as well, curling up on the front seat (advantage: my size!) and leaving M to handle all of the pesky pedestrians, reckless rickshaws and the like. We made it back comfortably, in one piece, and went up to M's house on the 4th floor of her apartment building, and she informed me it was the first such complex in the area, though there were quite a few coming up around that place now.
We went up, and entered her house. Even at first glance, it looked like a house which had been decorated with a very fine eye. Delicate lace curtains as well as matching thicker curtains, green, and red, and purple! M's room looks like the ideal room that all teenage girls would have wanted to grow up in, big bed, dressing table, pictures all around, and loads of space for books, with a view which though now was filling up with other apartment complexes must have been much nicer a few years ago. Anyway, back to our activities; Aunty had prepared a lovely lunch which we wolfed down, having not eaten anything else the entire day. The only problem at this time was the fact that there was no electricity; apparently there had been a massive storm the past week sometime, and there was no power in the entire state!
M and i, in the meantime learnt that P had also arrived , and was already out shopping somewhere! Mu had sent a car to pick us up, and after spending time getting ready, we went to the first event of the wedding- the Bachelorette Party! :) That's when we saw the lovely bride... I hadn't seen her in a year, and she was glowing! A few of her friends were already there, and after a few mins the rest arrived including her sister and darling-est neice Maya! It was a few hours of laughter, fun, getting together, catching up and meeting new people, good food, drink, in AC comfort, and of course girl-talk! I'm sorry, the most important thing I have left for the last-but never the least- taking pictures! :D The house we were in was located on the 6th floor of a building overlooking the glorious Brahmaputra, and we were able to enjoy the wonderful sight of the sun setting over the water. It was idyllic... all the more because of the company around. With Maya running around giving all of us hugs around the legs, and the chatter and comfort, all exhaustion slipped away. Games and gifts came next with more laughter and congratulations all around. Then in a slight twist to the Bachelorette Party, the groom and his friends made their appearance, and the celebrations continued in greater proportions- out came the cake with fancy candles, and more greeting new people.
We then move on to the next event, immediately after the party was ... another one! This time the mehendi. We, M, P, and I went back to change and then made our way to Mu's house for the next event. There, at her home, we met the family in full force, her parents most importantly, calmly handling the fact that there was no electricity and the house was full of people moving up and down. The cousins and neighbours in full-force all being a part of painting their hands with mehendi making fanciful and pretty patterns on hands; the bride of course, again at the centre of it all, yet still managing to focus on everyone to make sure they were comfortable. Truly one of the nicest persons I know! After this, we had sumptuous dinner home cooked and simple which tasted so good! End of day 1 when M drove us back home. Ah! Blessed sleep
Day 2!
It was the day of the Jurun, when the bride would be welcomed into the groom's family. Am not very sure of the exact significance, but this is when the women of groom's family come with gifts to the bride. We were there with the bride, of course, taking more photos of this vision in a peach mekhala, this girl with whom we had lounged around with in sweat shirts now looking very much a woman who was taking a step in moving forward with her life with the person she had chosen. From the moment they came to invite her from her room, to all the gifts they were giving her, emotions were close to the surface. Blessing asked for and given, the rest of the family and well wishers around her watching this Assamese tradition of welcome with not only clothes and jewellery but also food, and of course the paan. With camera flashes all the time, one would have well thought there was a celebrity there, and didn't she look like one! With her sweet smile present throughout, and sometimes tears showing her emotions, surrounded by friends and family, her beauty shone. Ok, are my emotions colouring my view? Nope, I think it was true, she looked amazing! We then had more mouth watering food, especially fish! Too many details? Sorry! but it needs a mention :)
Next event of the day was the Sangeet, later in the evening. We again got ready for the event, after some rest, though the electricity had again gone off! It was an event, just outside the home, small with close friends and family. Young singers and dancers- Mu's cousins, a trained singer, folk songs and dances by the women as well as dance and again, pictures make this close intimate time a wonderful event. Another home cooked meal of simple food completed a full day, and now we only had the main event to look forward to! With reminders to the bride to look after herself, and get enough sleep, we left the family home where she would spend her last night as a single girl.
Day 3!
Mu had other events during the day that had to be completed- which we skipped. We spent the day in Guwahati, exploring a few spots before making our way to a coffee shop, mainly to sit in an a/c environment! Once we felt better, we then went back to M's home, and were relaxing there when there suddenly were tremors! Though I had grown up in Shillong and there earthquakes are so common one does not think twice, this was a bad one... We were on the 4th floor of an apartment complex which was swaying dangerously; three girls alone in the house, each terrified. It lasted for quite a long time, and we then we realized the things we had done which, ahem, will not be put down here. Anyway, it did take some time for us to recover, and once we did had to prepare for the wedding! M's mom and brothers were going with us for the wedding, and we all got ready and finally made it to the bride's reception. There, we saw Mu on her seat greeting guests who came to bless and wish her, by now surrounded by gifts. Her friends were with her during this time, and she was looking comfortable in her role of wishing people, posing for pictures, handling the little children who ran up and down playing. We then waited for the bride's reception to wind down, and awaited the groom's arrival. Once it was time, the bride left the stage to change into the white and gold mekhala given to her the previous day at the Jurun.
The groom came; with fireworks and a band which was so full of energy that people around joined in the dancing which continued for a long time while the groom was in the car, while the women of the bride's family tried to tease him. When he finally entered the hall, it was to complete some rituals along with Mu's father. In the meantime, Mu was in the green room, changed into her wedding clothes. We saw her, again, beautiful bride all dressed up, and again emotions charged up high, as she hugged her mother who would not attend the wedding ceremony itself. A touching moment which made us all tear up as we saw a moment of pure human emotion. She then went out, to add another layer to her identity, that of a wife, daughter-in-law.
That was the end of the three days we had taken out of our regular lives to attend a wedding- where family was paramount, not just family we are born with, but family we choose along the way-the friends who help us become who we are. It was a beautiful wedding; and only the beginning of, I am sure, a journey of togetherness, through all of life's ups and downs. I wish with all my heart, the very best for two wonderful people, Mu and C.
