Day 10 - Wedding Part 2

After breakfast, I vacated my hotel in downtown Bundi for an upgrade - my host had found me a spare room at the wedding venue - so that was welcome. My Tuc-Tuc drive first took me past the Nawal Sagar (lake), overlooked by Bundi’s Garh Palace & fort.

This 2nd part of the wedding is simpler, with Phases 3 and 4. A Hindu religious service late morning called ‘Vrindavan Holi’, lunch, and then the evening reception where 800 guests are expected.

The Vrindavan Holi was ‘evangelical’, if Hindu services can be. Drums, bells and singing, congregation on their feet with clapping & dancing, and thousands of flower petals cast over everyone. A festival of celebration for divine love, with bride & groom dolls which were showered in red & yellow petals from roses, and other flowers.

Lunch followed in the same room, and it was oddly laid out, rather like school desks. In keeping with the theme of the bride’s family welcoming the groom and his party, the groom’s party (inc me) were all seated first. The meal was then served, and all of the bride’s party then proceeded to visit each of us, to check we were enjoying it, had sufficient, provided more if not, and asked if there was anything further they could do for us. Only when we were finished and sated, did we move out and the bride’s party ate. Members of the groom’s party then took care of the bride’s party dining. The meal was another vegetable curry meal of multiple dishes and deserts, all unique to the Rajasthan region.

The evening event saw the arrival of the newly weds, who spent all night having photos taken on the stage with whosoever wanted it! Meanwhile, everyone present ate more veg curry dishes….Read more