Family & Friends:

The Wedding Feast

Posted on May 29, 2018 by jhundredMay 29, 2018

Nick, Aditi and friends

The ceremony complete, we moved to an adjacent outdoor plaza for champagne and a few photos before gathering in a nearby banquet hall for a final feast at 2 PM.

Betsy, Sarah, Dale, Nick, Jay

: Seated in the banquet room.

: A feast of fine, spicy Indian cuisine.

: Wedding Cake

: Jay shares kind, fatherly wisdom with the bride and groom.

: Mita and Betsy

: Energetic Uncle Dev and Betsy

A couple hours later the wedding party broke out the Bollywood dancing, until finally at 5 PM the celebration was called to a halt to make way for another wedding. Big smiles, hugs and promises of “must visit” made up our farewell to the festivities–or more accurately, to the wonderful family and friends of Aditi who made our memories of this spectacular event so special.

Dusty departs….or, How you know the party is over!

The Case of the Missing Shoes

Posted on May 29, 2018 by jhundredMay 29, 2018

Amid the marriage ceremony, a sudden row worthy of the WWF broke out amid assembled friends and family. I could not get close enough for a photo, but Dusty was on the floor, struggling, as a throng of younger celebrants shouted, pushed, pulled and pummeled him. When the melee subsided, Dusty was barefoot. The ceremonial shoes had been given to him by Nick so this was obvious a serious matter—he had lost the groom’s shoes! Dusty retook to his seat in disgrace. Would the shoes ever be recovered?

Dusty at a loss to explain how he lost the shoes….

After the ceremony, Nick conducts a raucous negotiation with the bride’s friends for return of his shoes.

Aditi saves the day with cash to ransom back the shoes. Note pictures of wedding party members on the bills.

It turns out his loss has a name—Joota Chupai—and the theft was premeditated by friends of the bride, who then go on to hide the shoes. It’s a light-hearted game meant to show the acceptance and open hearts of both sides of the family and how willing and ready they are to share lifetime of laughter and fun together.

Hindu Ceremony, Part 2

Posted on May 29, 2018 by jhundredMay 29, 2018

The priest chants in Sanskrit.

: Geeta offers food to Nick, symbolizing her acceptance of him.

: Deb produces the dowry, which Nick accepts.

Here comes the bride! Aditia covers her eyes discreetly as, by tradition, she has never yet met or seen her husband-to-be!

: The bride approaches the groom.

: Aditi, still borne by her brother and friends, circles Nick seven times. The bearers claimed to have lost count!

: A scrum of photographers captured each ritual–paparazzi at a celebrity news conference. It was a challenge to take photos without arms and heads in the foreground.

: Dusty waits, royally attired. This will be important in the next post.

: Aunt and sister drape bind their wrists with flowers.

: The bride and groom’s scarves are tied.

: After reciting vows before the Fire God, bride and groom circle the fire four times while the priest chants.

: Dale places an iron bangle on Aditi’s wrist, welcoming her into the groom’s family.

: Ceremony complete, Nick and Aditi present themselves to family and friends.

Married!

Wedding 2: Hindu Ceremony, Part 1

Posted on May 29, 2018 by jhundredMay 29, 2018

Shrigley Hall, site of the Hindu ceremony. It’s a former family estate, later a boarding school, now a country house resort and getaway.

The Hindu wedding started at 11 AM Sunday with 150 or so family members and guests gathered in a private room at Shrigley Hall. A priest began meditation and chanting in Sanskrit, pausing from time to time to explain to western guests, in what quickly became a moving, memorable and spectacular experience. Written explanations were also provided in a program.

Nick and Abhi (brother-in-law) ready for ceremony.

The service was highly ceremonial, but never formal, as guests continuously moved about, chatted, snapped photos and joined in with ululations and conch shell horns as called for. It was simultaneously a holy ceremony and group celebration. I won’t attempt to capture it’s symbolism and richness, but let’s see if photos can capture some of the spirit.

Dale in sari and Jay in kurta, ready for wedding.

There can be no doubt: Nick and Aditi are married!

Betsy in sari.

Sarah helps dad with last minute adjustment.

The priest prepares the dais for the ceremony.

Assembled guests

Wedding to Wedding

Posted on May 28, 2018 by jhundredMay 28, 2018

“Knees Up” was Friday night’s theme for the younger crowd. The Hoxton has great breakfasts, BTW, for those who get up early enough (like us!).

Lucy, Dusty, Nick and Aditi manage smiles despite little sleep

The Sun Pavilion closed doors at midnight Friday, which meant the younger celebrants had to move the party into Harrogate proper before finally winding down at 5 AM Saturday. The kids looked a little worse for wear at 11 AM but were still smiling as the entourage loaded up cars and headed for Stockport, home of Aditi’s parents, to prepare for Sunday’s Hindu ceremony

The barbershop quartet gave the wedding party a final impromptu sendoff in the hotel lobby before the chaps headed off to their competition.

Aditi’s parents, Geeta and Deb Das, have tremendous stamina. How else to explain their hospitality as they packed up one wedding venue, then opened their home to 50 family members for henna tattooing, cleansing rituals and an Indian dinner, before prepping for a second wedding venue?

Betsy’s henna and bangles

The rituals were a convivial, family-and-friend affair that took most of the afternoon. After an expansive dinner of Indian food, we wrapped up at the Das’ house just before 10 PM Saturday night and Deb drove Betsy and I to Shrigley Hall where we would be staying–and the site of the next morning’s Hindu ceremony. He was transporting holy sand and other ceremonial accessories as well as us.

To the medicare crowd, “Knees Up Mother Brown” was playing on a continuous loop…