Wedding Chronicles- VII

Ceremony- VI: Anand Karaj

18th November, 2007 was a BIG day in my life.... my Wedding Day.

I got up early in the morning, around 6.00am. Two of my very close friends, Shaziya and Roshan had arrived late night before. And Shaziya and me left for the beauty parlour at around 7.30am. I was having butterflies in my stomach. After reaching the parlour, I found out that there was another bride who was to get ready and incidentally, she had been my classmate for one year in school. Small world indeed!

Eventually, I put on the very heavy lehnga. I was so scared it will just slide down because of its weight! Then, the parlour lady started the process with my face, then hair and finally she fixed the dupatta. At around 9.30am, I was all set and Shaziya tied kalirhas (chandelier like ornament) to my bangles. Wow was I looking good! Ma came there to look at me and started crying. I wonder why Moms are so emotional.

Well, then me and Shaziya went home, where my grandmother was there waiting for me. At around 11.30am, Ma, Papa and my brother Gaurav came to take me for the ceremony. This was to be held in the Gurudwara. The baraat (Groom's people) had arrived at around 10.30am at Hotel Sepal, had their breakfast and were waiting at Gurudwara.

When I reached Gurudwara, my brother and cousins left my side to search for Adesh's juttis. Jutti Churai is a very entertaining ritual of Indian shaadis. And my brother wanted to make the most of it. More about it later. When I entered the Gurudwara, Adesh was already sitting and he was looking so handsome... I just couldn't keep my eyes off him!

The rituals started in another 10 minutes with ardaas, then Papa taking off Adesh's sehra, and handing me his palla. Then the reciting of the hymns started, that is the Anand Karaj. In Sikhism, there are four pheras around Guru Granth Sahib and these pheras are called laavaan. Each laan is preceded by reciting the corresponding hymn. After each laan, we bowed and sat down. Then, the hymn were recited for next laan, we got up, completed the laan and came back. After the four laanvaan were completed, there was ardaas again and we were proclaimed husband and wife! Congratulations followed.

After we came out, the drama of the cousins, with Adesh's juttis hidden, started. They were demanding money in return for the shoes. And, they got that too. It turned out that my smart brother bribed Adesh's driver to take out shoes from the car and his comment on the same was, "Its all about money, honey!"

Then me and Adesh accompanied by his sister proceeded for Hotel Sepal. We were welcomed by the band and went for the long and tiring photo session. Post the photo session, we were made to sit on a stage so that every one could see us. This was so embarrassing. Then every family came turn wise to give us gifts and get a photograph clicked. Aaaw... this is so bad. My face started aching from smiling so long.

Finally, after an hour we came down, sat with some relatives, danced a little and had lunch. It was already 3.30pm by then. It was time now for Doli. The details about this in next blog. I am done for today's typing.