A Indian/Hindu wedding

This past Sunday I went to an Indian/Hindu wedding. I was invited by three separate people, one finally being the Father of the Groom. He said to "please come and enjoy the festivities."

I had planned on going, Hubby on the other hand did not want to go. He said it felt wrong to go to a wedding where we did not know the Bride or the Groom. I told him it did not matter, because we know the Groom's parents and their friends, plus this was an enrichment opportunity. He only went because I told him there was going to be a feast afterward, plus my oldest wanted to see his friend and spend the night there after the wedding. His friend lives on the same land as the wedding party. It is 40 acres with 4 maybe 5, soon to be 6, Hindu families living there in different dwellings. Anyhow, I finally had a date for a function instead of going alone. I was thinking, before Hubby said yes, how I was going to explain the reason why Hubby did not show up when it was his day off and they knew this. Luckily he made a wise choice to join me. :)

It was the most different kind of wedding I have ever been too. I have been to boring Christian weddings (mine being one of them), I have been to boring and extremely long Catholic Mexican weddings, and I have been to Justice of the Peace outside weddings. They all paled in comparison to the Hindu wedding. This was the most sacred and beautiful wedding I have ever been to, even my own.

The seats were all set up like a big "U" around a square alter that was set up above the ground.
Inside the square was a smaller square that later contained a fire. Around the smaller square was the 2 Brahman (Hindu Priests) facing each other. The Bride and Groom sat together on one side next to the Brahmans. Before they sat down the Groom came out and sat down and waited for the Bride. She finally came out, but the Groom was not allowed to see her. Her bridesmaids kept her covered as she walked around the large square alter many times. We could see her, but he could not. As she made her rounds around the alter the crowd made noise and the Transcendental Conch Shells were being blown for her arrival. She wore a Red Sari, a gold headdress that came down over her part, her eyes were encrusted with jewels in arches above her eyebrows, Tilak painted very carefully on her forehead, feet and hands covered in henna art, jewelry clanking from her bell covered ankles to her bangle covered wrists, a Bindi on her forehead between her eyes, and a flower garland around her neck.

As I sit here with multiple distractions and feeling rather grumpy I will not go into all the details.


Anyhow, they had so many customs and they told the meanings behind each one, they were very informative.
I learned so much and enjoyed it so much, I want to be remarried with a deep sacredness to it.
It was not "tradition" for the sake of tradition. This was real meaning, it was sacred, it was deep. It was love, and beauty. It was so unlike the Western "Tradition".

I finally think this is my "church", going out there and chanting and learning all this is so exciting.

I think there is a lot to learn from this "tradition" that I can incorporate this into my life as it is now.

Not all religions and traditions are perfect, it is my job on this Earth to be responsible for myself and learn what I can, where I can, when it is time and available.

I am now giving up the idea of looking for someone to go with me. The right and perfect person will show when needed and go with me, or not. I can no longer wait for people to join me. Hubby has his own path, whatever that is, and I need to be patient with him. Oh my this is the hard part, LOL!

Anyhow, not myself tonight. Tired, pissy, and not 'on fire" with my writing, yet if I don't do it my thoughts build in my brain and I feel as though I will certainly go insane if I do not relieve pressure by "blabbing"..................

Now I will go read and think about something Hubby and I talked about the other day; Materialism.

Night!