Deepak pulled up in front of the Hotel Sai International in Raygada, brilliantly decorated, unlike our previous stay a few days ago. Huh? There was going to be a high-class traditional Indian wedding at the hotel tonight and not only huge, but two brothers were having a double wedding! …View image… That is certainly one way to economize on wedding costs. ex-Marine and I ate an early dinner, spent time chatting with the staff who were all excited over the festivities before parking myself with cameras and camcorder in front of the Hotel Sai entrance (dressed in my wedding best of capris and t-shirt).

The guests began arriving around 8:00 p.m. and headed into the attached tent erected in front of the hotel, taking seats in the rows of chairs while buffet tables completely lined the perimeter. Approximately, 800 guests were invited and this was only the bride’s side of family and friends. Six days later, a dinner and reception would be held for the groom’s family and friends. The little computer began ticking away in my brain adding up costs for an 800-guest wedding and came up with a “guestimate” of $40,000 minimum. A member of Hotel Sai staff informed me that the food costs are minimal because everything is vegetarian. However, the disk jockey, flowers, invitations, clothing, decorations, etc. eat up the majority of the money. A beautiful sari runs at least 5,000R, $100, big money in India.

Ajit weds Sheetah poster, India
One of the brides arrived and was instantly hustled upstairs to a hotel room to await the nuptial ceremony (the other bride had arrived earlier)…

bride #1 arriving for the wedding ceremony, India
More guests began arriving with women exquisitely dressed in incredible and intricate saris, laden with jewelry…(we’re talking the real thing…diamonds, gold bangles, necklaces). The men dressed more casually in shirts and slacks, little boys in the height of Western fashion, e.g. strategically ripped…View image… and expensive designer jeans while little girls also wore gorgeous little saris (there were a few “mother and daughter saris”). I stood there gawking, oohing and aahing at the magnificent saris, one more beautiful than the other…View image…View image. At home, wedding guests wear…black, black, black and more black. In India, vibrant red, orange, yellow, royal blue with only an occasional, highly decorated black in sight.

one young woman in black, Indian wedding 

two little girls dressed like mommy at the Indian wedding 

one of my favorite saris, India
One guest henna’d the palms of her hands, called Mehendi in a very intricate design. Beautiful!

Mehendi henna hands, Orissa, India
Guests kept arriving in cars and hopping off motorcycles bearing gifts that were given to special maids who plopped them on their heads…View image, and trotted off to place in a special room.

guests arriving bearing gifts – the maid did the “bearing” – Orissa, India
Firework displays exploded overhead, becoming more frequent as the groom’s decorated processions…View image… approached, led by music and singers.
And then I had hours of acting like a “Mary Hart/Joan Rivers” interviewer as wedding guests approached in a constant flow to talk to us. How obvious could it be that these two shabbily dressed people (me, with hair that resembled a cross between struck by lightening and a Brillo pad) were not from India. What country are you from? Have you ever seen a traditional Indian wedding? Have you been to India before? What is your name? Let me explain what’s happening.…and on and on. I almost lost my voice trying to answer hundreds of questions and then, whenever I wanted to take a photo or video, the guests would push and pull me to the front, move the other guests happily out of the way to give me a clear shot. One elder even pulled me up on the Dais where the groom and family…View image… were sitting under the ceremony canopy! I protested…he insisted!

groom, Sujit under the canopy, Orissa, India
You could not possibly ask for nicer, warmer, more hospitable people. We would have been welcome to stay for the entire wedding that would last until 2:00 a.m., but we were exhausted and called it a night. Or so we thought. On the way to our room, we passed by the Bride’s room and she insisted we come in and talk to them. They wanted us to sit with them and schmooze. Dead on our feet, wishes of good fortune and happiness and to bed….

the bride wearing a traditional red sari with elaborate gold embroidery, India
That’s India for you. Never know what excitement awaits and, for me, one of the most memorable and enjoyable occasions of my life.

 

 

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