Sarath's wedding to Hima

Trip Start Oct 29, 2009
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Trip End Nov 27, 2009


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Flag of India  , Andhra Pradesh,
Sunday, November 1, 2009

Today is a very special day for our colleague Sarath.  He will wed Hima at 11:05.  The date and time are specifically chosen by priests as to be the best match and provide the best fortune. We arrived early ~8:30 am to watch more of the ceremony than just the part where they are officially wed.  Sarath goes through a long, arduous and tradition process of being blessed by priests for a variety of things.  He then tells the families that is refuses to wed and walks away, followed by the closest family members.  The brides brother must then follow Sarath and "convince" him to come back and proceed with the wedding, which he did successfully.  Sarath is specially seated facing away and looking at a decorated sheet while the bride is brought in a basket and seated opposite him, but the two cannot see each other.  More prayers and blessings are given as the two hold what I think is a papya together at the bottom of the sheet - so they can see each others' hands, but that is all.  Sarath's father carefully monitors the time and when gives the signal, the sheet is dropped and the celebration is really begun Sarath receiving instructions and prayers
Sarath receiving instructions and prayers
 .  The bride and groom can see each other and place their hands on top of each others' head while the guest step forward and toss rice onto their heads as a blessing. These procedures take hours and hours;  they were well underway when we arrived and were still ongoing when we left about 3 pm.  They are quite beautifully decorated and the families provided breakfast and lunch.  They insist that you eat, requiring those of us from the US to be first in line for lunch. (Breakfast was more informal, you simply wandered in when you felt hungary.)  In fact, the entire ceremony people wander in and out, milling about visiting, chatting and taking photos (mostly us).  They encourage you to get close to the area where the ceremony takes place to get the best photos.  It is very different from our more formal US ceremonies, but it is more relaxed and comfortable (for the guests, not so for the bride/groom/priests).  The participants must sit long hours on only slightly raised wooden platforms with no cushions for hours and hours.  You can see that is gets uncomfortable.

After the wedding, Joanne and I had plans to go out to eat at The Olive Garden (more on this later) but plans changed as our presence was requested at pre-teaching day get together in the hotel.  We ate, instead, at the hotel restaurant, The Square and played it safe with a chicken sandwhich.  It wasn't all that terrific, but it was safe and not spicy.  We met some of the other instructors after dinner and I came back to the room to prepare for the next day.

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