A few moments from my very first traditional Indian wedding. My maternal family and I gathered to celebrate the union of my cousin and his bride in beautiful Balito in Durban. This was my second trip to the warm coast and I was absolutely in love with this side of the world and deeply honored to bare witness and participate in a traditional Hindu ceremony. The brides family were so generous and provided us with traditional saris to wear, this was my first time in one and I didn’t want to take it off. To sing OM together in grace, dance together in joy and bless the hands and feet of the bride and groom with turmeric, as well as have my own Mehndi done was so special. The effort, the place, the natural splendour of this African earth and family gathering in love was a treat that my heart really needed. I Am thankful for the time well spent, the beauty adorned and the love well shared. - TRU
Two weeks ago we went to a wedding. It took place in Oshwal Centre in Hertfordshire. It's not too far from Potters Bar tube station.
This centre, which sits an extremely tranquil environment, is 70 acres in size. This Oshwal centre is the UK's biggest Jain Centre. As I have never been to a Jain temple, this was a new experience for me.
Jainism, just like Buddhism, is an ancient religion that started in India and its teachings are very similar to Buddhist teachings too. The Jain temple in the premises have traditional carvings which have been hand carved exquisitely. These carvings felt familiar to me. The simply decorated shrine room had a marble statue of Lord Mahavira.
All around the temple there were carefully tended gardens. That day was a rainy and misty day and we felt a little chilly. The weather, coupled with the familiarity of the temple and the background music (sounded like Lata Mangeshkar's voice), created a sense of comfort and elevated the beauty of the surroundings.
Next to the temple is the wedding hall, which can house more than 500 guests. This was a tamil hindu wedding and the bride and groom were dressed in beautiful traditional garments and jewelry. The bridesmaids were in stunning sarees and their hair were decorated traditionally with real jasmine flowers. The groomsmen were in vetti and stood out beautifully.
The wedding ceremony, performed according to hindu customs, was truly memorable amidst the sounds of the mridangam drum and tamil songs.