Here's a summary of the different "wedding events" we had over the past 10 days.... I've described each below, as well as listed them how WE did them chronologically.... However, we compressed several ceremonies together, and some were not in their most traditional order.

Any errors or omissions are my fault.


Day 1 -- Saturday May 21st

I arrived on a red eye flight from SFO to Columbus at about 9 am. When I got to Mr. Osuche's mom's house, the first ceremony was already underway.

A. Adan Pradan
Adan Pradan (give and take) is a ceremony that involves the matching of ancestral lines or bangsas in the presence of a purohit (priest). The purpose is to ensure that the marriage does not take place between close relatives or persons having the same gotra (lineage).


B. Vridhi (conducted about 12 pm)
This is about offering puja (worship) to the ancestors of the bride and the groom. It is attended by all the family members. All the samagri or items for the puja are arranged in a baran dala. A baran dala is a silver plate containing items for puja. A 'Sri' symbol is made in the baran dala. The purohit brings an idol of Bhagwan Narayan to the puja. The idol is worshipped by lighting agarbattis (incense sticks) and diyas (lamps). The vridhi is usually performed by a paternal uncle. Tradition demands that the uncle and the bride/groom be on a liquid diet.

C. Ashirbaad (Around 6 pm that day)
The "engagement ceremony" is a gathering of both families with an emphasis on the exchange of gifts, discussions, negotiations and the fixing the date for the marriage. The elders bless the couple by showering them with 'dhaan' (husked rice) and 'dooba' (three blades of grass), which they place on the couple's heads.

__________________
Life is too short not to love and be loved....preferably multiple times in one night.

I think men talk to women so they can sleep with them and women sleep with men so they can talk to them. ~ Jay McInerney

Day 2 -- Friday, May 27th

I arrived back from Chicago (where I was working Mon-Thurs) at 9 pm Thursday night. Friday morning the festivities started again.

A. Wedding Piris (12 pm on Friday)
The piris (ritual seats from the bride and groom during the wedding) are brought to the bride's house a day before the wedding or on the wedding day. A relative or friend paints and decorates the piris. When the decoration is completed and the piris presented by the proud artist, conch shells are blown and ululation taken up.

B. Gae halud tattva
Gifts are presentede for the bride from the groom's house. The gifts include at least six sarees with blouses, petticoats and cosmetics to go with them. Also among the gifts are fish, assorted sweets, curd, paan, dhaan and durba. A relative of the groom arrives at the bride's house with an entourage of servants bearing the gifts. Incense is lit welcome them and conch shells are blown. These gifts are part of the groom's promise to care for the bride for the rest of their lives together.

C. Snan (about 6 pm that evening)
The snan literally means bathing. In this case, it stands for the bathing rituals that the bride and groom must individually follow on the day of the wedding. The bathing is done in tumeric powder and paste. Turmeric is placed all over the body of the bride and groom to make them beautiful and fair-skinned. A few married women apply turmeric and oil on the hair and body of the bride/groom. After bathing, the bride and groom must wear the new set of clothes that have been presented to them by their in-laws.

D. Sankha Porana (10 pm that evening)
The bride follows the tradition of wearing sankha porana or conch shell bangles that have been dipped in turmeric water. After her bath she wears a new sari and wears the sankha poranas. There are actually 3 bracelets that must be worn by the bride (traditionally for the rest of her life, from this moment) -- one is iron, one is conch, and one is coral.

__________________
Life is too short not to love and be loved....preferably multiple times in one night.

I think men talk to women so they can sleep with them and women sleep with men so they can talk to them. ~ Jay McInerney