Yes, it's public. Our son has proposed to his beautiful girlfriend and mother Kumra is going to be his mother-in-law! The sweetest comment I got from an aunt: "Oh my, our little Niru is going to be her mother-in-law!". I was early to become a mother and I'm earlier than my circle of friends to become a mother-in-law too. It's a special feeling! I've been meaning to write about an Indian wedding on the blog for a long time, but now I'm in the middle of it soon. Then the time must be right to tell about it, right?
An Indian wedding, especially from the state of Punjab, is a unique experience with dancing, laughter, ceremonies, lots of people, colors and an unimaginable amount of food. The duration is 3-5 days, with modern times time has also become scarce for Indians so most people limit it to 2-3 days. We are so privileged with large families and many weddings. It is clear that everyone should be there, you only get married once; it is still said even though the divorce rate is also increasing in India. A wedding is not only about the bride and groom, but also both families. There is a lot of planning and a big deal that has to be done in connection with where the ceremonies will be celebrated and what will be served when. What gifts will be given for the different ceremonies. It is without a doubt the bride who gets the most and then you go for gold, or diamonds if the family can afford it. Giving away gold is something that benefits the bride and groom in bad times. Even today, weddings are a big dent in the family's finances, marrying off a daughter is normally more expensive than a son. The boy's family also has a cost, but it has barely been 30% by comparison. Fortunately, some boy's families have started to share 50% of the cost, hopefully it will become the norm and not the exception in the years to come.
In addition to both families getting along, it is important to compare the planets and the zodiac signs of the bride and groom. Not to mention the “caste” as well. The caste system has been officially abolished, but among the orthodox it still lives its own life, while in big cities and modern households it is not such an important issue. India is so large and diverse that you can find all kinds of examples. By hearing an Indian name, you can learn about the family's ancestry and affiliation.
Many parents have their child's kundali made at birth, which is a small booklet with the positions of the various planets at the time of birth. It also indicates some of the child's interests and characteristics, and the most skilled priests can tell what life will be like for the newborn. If one follows the principle, a priest or scholar will find the best possible date for a couple to get married, that is, when both their planets are in the best possible happiness and harmony. (I actually didn't get married that way, we just chose a date). For this reason, the wedding day is not necessarily on a weekend, but can be on a regular weekday.
