India Trip Part 2 : Indian Wedding Function

Every time I visited some country, I always want to experience their culture and how they live their life. That's why, I interested with local people and talked with them, visited some traditional market or museum just to felt their life.

The wedding itself hold in Kodwar, about 5 hours from Delhi. Why it must far away ? because this was Groom hometown.

This wedding was very memorable for me, because this was my first time attend Indian wedding at India !!! turn out Indian wedding really really unique and different. Also, it was very long since Indian wedding consist of four Function/tradition that very fancy and grand.

First Function- Mehndi Night

Mehndi night or Henna night is a Indian function that held night before the wedding. Mehndi organize by the bride's family and invite female friends or female families member. Well to be honest, I dont know exact meaning of this tradition, haha.
Our friends explain it very lightly by said this function was held for bride so that she can treat herself before the wedding night and there is a myth that said, if the Henna of the Bride still last until the wedding night, your husband will really love you... -If I were the bride, I will make sure that I will used a high quality Henna which will never leave my skin forever, hahaha-

Well, because we have to wait some friends that coming late. We have to leave Delhi by morning so that we could not attend Mehndi night. But Anshi -The Bride- insist that we have to have our Henna before we went to Kodwar.

We got our Henna at Delhi. Turn out it was little bit hard to found Henna parlor in Delhi. Finally we found a Henna lady in the street of Delhi after walked almost hours. 

This is my henna.. so pretty right... 

but my nails turn out didn't want me to be the prettiest nail in India hahaha

 The girls take a photo of their Henna hands

Second Function - Engagement Party (They called it Sangeet if I'm not mistaken)

The day after Henna night, there had a engagement party at the night.

Me and my friends wearing Javanese Kebaya.
Because we really proud of our country . YIHAAAA.

If you asked me, what you should wear at the Engagement Party.. you can wear some dress that not too bright, because it happened at the night. Dress with black color and add some gold touch, it will really pretty I think. Indian people wear lot of accessorize... dont go to plain.. wear your gold, silver, or some shine accessorize. You dont have to wear Saree at this Function.

The Engagement party start at eight pm but everyone said that it will be late one to two hours haha.
Yes !! Late party was very normal in India. This happened because the Bride and the Groom wait for their families and friends who come late. Hahaha.. So wedding function in India never on time.

Well, since we have to wait our Indian friends, we leave from hotel by nine pm and arrived at the banquet at 9.30. Turn out the party was start at 9pm (only one hour late). By the time we arrived, Anshi already did a Changing Ring tradition. Anshi was very angry, but all her friends just like ... "everyone was also come late tho..." hahaha

The Engagement party was very fun...

There were a stage for family and friends from bride and groom to perform a dance.

They both exchange the dance and already prepared a group dance. I think, it just like dance battle.

It was really fun and they did a very good dance. It just like in the Hindi Movie. hahaha

Purpose of this dance battle is so that family and friends from both side know each other.

Btw Anshi asked us to perform a dance, she even gave us link of dance practice that we have to dance at her Engagement party. But our friends just to shy/embarrassed, they didn't want to dance. Hiks. Poor Anshi. Maybe someday ya Anshi...

After the battle dance.
The event change to outdoor, that more larger space than indoor and full of food and bigger dance floor (again !! haha). Oohhhh and there were also a DJ in the outside. Coolllll..... Haha

Indian really love dance so much.. the dancing floor always full with someone who dance. Haha

And for me, I busy with try all of the food. There are lot of food that I have to tried.

There is no alcohol in the event. I asked my friends "why?"

Our friend  gave an explanation, that some of Indian was vegetarian, to be polite they didnt serve it on the event. But... they served alcohol at the outside of event. Hahaha
But again, to respect others, they have to be pretend that it was not alcohol. 

Turn out, winter + outdoor party + good music + dance floor were a perfect match with alcohol.
It will make your body warmer and make you enjoy party more. Hahaha

Sadly... at that time I had promised to my self to stop (reduce) alcohol come in to my body.
That's  why I didnt drink at all and what I did only try all food, warm my body near camp fire while watched everyone dance (hiks).. BUT turn out that the best way to spend night, because I get acquainted with a every good uncle. We talked about lot of things. That uncle turn out, father in law of Anshi sister. I suddenly missed my father at that time, because that uncle very kind to me and there are not lot of people that I can talk with in there. Since not everyone in India could speak English well. Only some people who have education could speak English, but some of them who not educated enough only speak in Hindi.

Ate ice cream at winter was... fun

Btw it was very cold in India at November and the event was at the outdoor.

I asked them why it had to be at outdoor, why not indoor ?
Because it was very cold outside and the event still not finished until past midnight.
The event not finished till everyone went home tho. LOL

Same like in Indonesia, Wedding season in India was October to early December and it was a winter season. Bride and groom will make the party at the outdoor, since the sky was very good at night and it will not rain in the winter. Yes ! it will not rain, but everyone will freezing outside. Hahaha

But even it was very crazy cold night, it was very lovely.
It felt like I were in the camping ground because everyone (mostly the oldest) gather beside the wood fire. Why only the oldest? because the young one already hot because of the alcohol and intensive dance.. hahaha

Third Function - The Haldi

This function hold at both Bride and Groom house separately.
It happen early in the morning, I forgot the time, but I thought it at 10am
Well since our friend is Anshi the Bride. So we just went to Anshi's hotel.

I dont exactly know meaning of this function, because our friends didnt explain it well.
I thought they also didnt know exact meaning of this function, hahaha.
Typical of young generation.

I thought, basically... this function was like gave a blessing to the bride with special turmeric paste and the turmeric is good for skin, it will make the bride skin glow. That's why they use turmeric paste.

First..
Family of the Groom come, they accompanied by some musician (trumpet, tambourine, etc...) and it was very loud, hahahaha. They dance along with the music. 

IT WAS VERY COOL...
just like in the Hindi movie, hahahaha

They brought special turmeric paste and gave it to the mother of the bride.

Then, mother of the bride gave them something at their head (just like in the movie guys) hahaha

After that, family of the Groom put that turmeric to Bride face.

Meanwhile, there was some older who singing (praying) as a background when they did it.

After family of the Groom left, now was time for friends of the bride and also her family blessed her with turmeric past. 

You can wear bright color to this function but you dont have to wear jewelry. You can wear simple dress (but the color must bright ya.. ) or just wearing bright blouse with skirt. You dont have to wear saree (that is too much for these function). I suggest you wear something that yellow since bride will gave you turmeric paste on your face and arm. It just like turmeric war but in pretty way hahaha, so just prepare your self.

After those turmeric touch on skin, dont wait to long to wash it. You have to wash it after that.. If you failed to remove it, the color of turmeric will stay on your skin (face), hahhaa.
Sometimes bride of the family will provide some oil that can remove turmeric paste faster.

Note for my self :
I'll add picture and video later.

This function not more than two hours and the wedding night was at night 8pm.
So we still have lot of time. We went to Tip Top Kodwar.
It is mountain with very beautiful scenery. Love it so much

We just need one and half hours to went there.

Since we still have time,
Me and my friends (asian girl) went to the market near our hotel.

But turn out that's not as near as we thought. -__-"

All the way to the market was very dark (FYI, if you are in the rural areas at India, dont forget to bring flashlight, since street lights in the rural very very rare...) and everyone stared at us, because we were different.

Seriously, at that time I thought that it was better we canceled our trip to market.
I have a bad feeling.
I told my friends several times, but somehow we still walked to the market.
I thought the desire to shop was more greater than our fear, hahaha

But finally we decided to back to our hotel, since we didnt see any house along the way, what we saw only mountain and downhill. Hahaha

We just visited cloth shop near our hotel and talked with the owner.

He said that the market were in the opposite from road that we too hahaha and he said he knew the groom and will join the party tonight.

What a small world !

4. Forth Function - The Wedding Party

Yes, before you think it, I already have thought about it, Hahaha.

INDIAN WEDDING WAS VERY LONG...... Hahaha
Took days just only to get married. Hahaha
If I was them, seriously I could not handle it. Hahaha

I bet, this all function need lot of money too..
Rent venue, musician, clothes (lot of clothes), etc..
But after I experience Indian wedding direct from its origin
It was VERY VERY VERY COOL... it was literally same like in the movie guys...

All the dance and all the performance, decoration, etc...

Before we left from hotel

Fabric of her Saree...

Fabric of her Saree...

So beautiful... Love love

For this wedding party, it was also at the outdoor.

But HUGE outdoor, it was just like soccer field. Hahaha very very huge...
and there are lot of food. My soul very happy... Hahaha.. With different type of menu.. THAT'S SO COOL

By the time we arrived, the groom already at the venue, welcoming all the guest.

After that, He move to the stage and the bride come with her family.

It's so beautiful... and JUST LIKE IN THE MOVIE (again !) Bahahaha

I freaking happy watch Indian wedding,

I really want to come to Indian wedding someday in Indonesia.

After bride reached the stage, they have another tradition : exchanged flower.
I donnt really understand on this matters. So I will skip this stage.
But after these, each family member dancing and singing in other stage.
Dance floor stage (again!), hahaha

Well.. if you think it was the end... of course no ! hahaha
The real wedding - Holy Matrimony was at 2 am.

Because the priest already calculated the best time for both of them to get married

But mostly only family and close friends that stay till 2 am. 

Well we want to stay but we have to leave Kodwar at 4 am, in order to arrived at Delhi at 10am.

Our flight to KL was 12 pm and we can not missed it.

So we leave the wedding at 12pm.
Anshi's family was so nice, they gave us box of sweet for her close friends. 

Also Anshi- the sweetest girl ever gave me a bracelet..
She was very nice.

If you want to attend this function, dont forget to wear your Saree.

I bought this Saree in the traditional market at Delhi only 800 rupee... 

Bahaha so cheap

With Anshi Sister

That was our last day in India...

I want to told you story when we leave Kodwar at 4am.
Street from Kodwar to Delhi was very terrible.

VERY VERY TERIBLE and also SCARY

It full of mist/fog.

The mist was very BAD, we can only see like not even one meter ahead of us and there were no street light. WTFish !!!

Like seriously,, what the government do ??, Hahaha suddenly search someone to blame.

But guys.. there were no street light at all at the street.

We really really happy when we met another car from other side...

Because it meant we were not alone in the street and their car light our way...

But we can not found any car ahead of us.

Where are they... ??? 

Oohh if you suggest us to open our window, so that we could look outside more cleaner.

Welll... we can not open window because it was really cold. 

FREAKING COLD

I think it was minus Celsius at that time... because the weather drop significantly in the morning.

I even could felt that cold since I seat near window.
I didnt know how that wind come in even I already close every window or door !!

Seriously... it was just like in the movie...

what I was waiting was either our car go into cliff, crash with train (because suddenly we hear a voice of train infront of us, and we just freeze.. Bahaha), or there are ghost show up at the front car or exactly at my window. HAHAHA...

Seriously it was very scary...

This not a real picture that happened at that morning,

But the mist similar like this...

But if you know me well...
I always cool. Even in the midst of storm or whatever happened in this world you can found me laughing or sleep.

Well since it was freaking me inside, so I choose to sleep Bahahaha

So I just slept and let that two guys panic. Just so me... Ahahaha

I just remember, 

I have an ex boss from military background before.

He was angry with me and yell me in front lot of people,and What I did...
I left him and found place for slept. Bahahahaha

That was my ability to find peace in every condition, Nyahaha

Long story short, turn out he know that it was not my fault.

He immediately searched me and found out that I slept peacefully....
Bahahahaha