My Two Cents...: Bollywood In My Blood

Recently a friend and I were talking about Bollywood movies and as I’m not a huge fan I did not have much to say. The only thing I do enjoy about Bollywood movies is the choreography and the composition of their wardrobes. Thus considering the lack of resources to draw from to keep the conversation going I had to make a quick decision to change the topic but still keep it relevant.

Me: I attended a family wedding a few months ago...and I have to say I LOVE Indian weddings! I love them for several reasons but mainly because of the rich and dynamic culture behind every Indian wedding. They are always elaborate, vibrant and bursting with colour. From extravagant Eastern garments to blaring Bollywood beats, traditional Indian weddings have the power to bring out the most colourful side of you.

My friend: Oookay!

At this stage my friend noticed that I was getting carried away so she blatantly changed the topic to something that was completely irrelevant. Thus I shall continue my conversation here…

Considering the amount of work put into this wedding, the brightly coloured sarees and suits purchased, the beautifully decorated edibles and the fact that the groom is a close uncle of mine, I decided I had to share a little bit about my Indian culture with you.

The wedding I attended was a traditional Hindu wedding which meant that for an entire hour I witnessed a marriage in a language I did not understand (Tamil)… and my favourite part was when the food came out……….I’m just kidding! To be honest I enjoyed the entire ceremony and even thought the ceremony was conducted in Tamil the co-coordinators were kind enough to find an MC who was able to translate.

Hindu weddings are usually made up of several small ceremonies which are all significant for the marrying of the bridal couple. The order of the ceremonies differ with different people however its significance is often similar.

Ceremonies that make up a traditional Hindu wedding:

1. Opening prayer: bridal couple gives thanks to God.

2. Nelungu: this is a cleansing ceremony for the body and skin. A yellow paste known as Tumeric or Hurdee is applied on the faces of the bridal couple.

3. Havan: also a cleansing ceremony to get rid of bad omens. The bridal couple is instructed to throw specific items, all of which symbolize something in the world, into a fire.

4. Tying of the Thali: the thali is a yellow string that is tied around the neck of the bride by the groom. It is the equivalent of a ring.

5. Red Dot: a red dot is positioned on the forehead of the bride. The colour indicates that she is a married woman.

6. Rings and toes rings: Rings are self explanatory. Toe rings serve a similar purpose as a finger ring however is only worn by women.

7. Swapping of garlands: During this ceremony garlands made of fresh flowers are swapped three times between bride and groom. This process symbolizes the unity they now share as a married couple.

8. Closing ceremony: the married couple get their final blessings from their parents by falling at their feet. This gesture shows unconditional respect for their parents.

While all of this was taking place I had a lot to look at and admire. The décor at the wedding venue was impressive and definitely something to write home about. Bright orange and cream with a touch of gold were the chosen colours for décor, dresses and desserts…and everything in between. Indians love splashes of gold!

As I was the eldest niece of the groom I had a few responsibilities at the wedding which meant I had to choose my outfit wisely. Personally, I do not enjoy shopping for Eastern wear as I can never find one that fits like a Victoria Beckham dress or one that is within my price bracket. So, usually I lose interest and just end up borrowing an outfit from my friend (not the one who blatantly changed the topic), who allows me to choose from a variety of beautiful garments…AND she has matching jewellery for each of them. YES, she is cool that way!

Anyway for this wedding, considering my relation to the groom and my ‘major’ responsibilities I decided to invest in my own saree (for the first time – no I’m not embarrassed that I borrowed my friend’s all the other times. That’s what friends are for! :D). I started to shop three months prior to the wedding and I encountered all the problems I usually encounter, not the right size, price or colour. One month in and still I had no idea what I was going to wear. Fortunately, someone introduced me to online shopping, specifically for Eastern wear and…BAM! 21 days later I had a stunning saree and blouse that I designed myself using the design template provided on the site.

I wore a burgundy, green and gold (we love gold!) lengha style saree adorned with burgundy and green embroidery coupled with gold & silver sequins and a velvet border. My jewellery which included a slightly elaborate neck piece and bangles were in keeping with the chosen colour pallet.

So, even though I do not enjoy Bollywood movies my Indian’ess ensures that there is always some Bollywood in my blood!