An Indian Wedding

I came home from school and heard my mother told me that we were going to attend my cousin's wedding in Kolkata. I was excited and started planning for the wedding.

We reached Kolkata three days before the wedding. The Sangeet and the Henna ceremony were scheduled for the same day. We wore glamorous dresses and proceeded to the luxurious wedding hall. We saw the Alpana rangoli, a special attraction in Kolkata weddings. The floral display too was extraordinarily beautiful. We danced all evening and got delicate mehendi designs done on our hands.

The next day was haldi ceremony. Five of my married aunts ground turmeric with mortar and pestle and anointed the bride with turmeric paste. This made her skin glow and she looked vibrant and pretty.

Finally, the wedding day dawned. We dressed in our wedding finery. As soon as we entered the wedding hall, we heard the blowing of the conch shells by the women gathered at the wedding venue. A musician played the shehnai in the background.

Soon, the bridegroom and his family arrived. The mother of the bride along with the rest of the family welcomed them. They were served sweets and drinks. The groom's face was covered with flowers and he wore a crown like head dress. He was seated at the wedding altar. It was time for the bride to arrive. She too had her face covered with flowers and wore a crown like head dress.

The wedding ceremony began. The bride was seated on a low wooden stool. She was lifted by her brothers and taken round the groom in seven complete circles. Then, they exchanged flower garlands. Next, the couple's hands were bound by the sacred thread amidst recital of Vedic chants.

Finally, it was time for the bidaai. It was very sad as the bride was upset at leaving her home and family. We too cried for the bride.

The wedding was over. The next day, we packed our bags, said our goodbyes and were on our way back home. I will always remember the pageantry and joy of this wonderful wedding!