Indian Wedding Dream

In India you need patience with everything, immigration was chaotic and took almost 2 hours in a cue to then present passport, visa and the immigration card. Luggage luckily had already arrived and so a taxi took me to my hotel in the Southern part of Delhi.

Short explanation on the wedding mission: my friend/colleague Nadine is getting married to a Punjab guy and celebrating a traditional Indian wedding. The ceremony contains different rituals such as a Mendhi evening or the Haldi ceremony, to which preferred colours are yellow/orange. I had brought a saree from my mum in turquoise, but nothing yellow/orange, so needed that besides a silver blouse for the turquoise one. I was told that everything can be tailored within one day, so there was the shopping mission.
Actually I planned to visit the recommended Lajpat Market for buying the traditional sarees, but I decided to meet other people, that were also invited to the wedding, and shopp with them rather than being alone. Close to the Caunnaught Place we met and the first store already disappointed me, not offering what I needed. So we decided to move on to Khan market, 15 minute Uber ride away. The known store "Fabindia" was in a cute street with lots of little stores and it offered everything, so I chose two blouses in silver and gold. Sarees were too expensive, even though geat quality, so was lucky to find a cheaper one next door in a small store. Happy having found what I needed it was time for beer in a bar same street.

Back at Caunnaught Place we met a German couple, with whom I wanted to go on a sightseeing walking tour...guide didn't show up, we canceled and took plan "B"... time for beer again accompanied by funny Indian sports on TV and live music. But since I had only slept 3 hours on the plane, I left early to fall into bed with a relief, first day of India accomplished without any major challenges!

The train was scheduled for 1:15pm from the railway station close by. Every step in India can be full of surprises, even the Uber ride from the hotel to the station. Why not stop in the middle of the street to buy maiz and feed the pidgons or read newspaper at the traffic light...just examples of many funny facts you can experience here in India :).

Surprisingly smooth was the train procedure: found the train and wagon thanks to signs, got on, met other wedding guests and kept ourselves busy with reading, food, chai or looking out of window enjoying some landscapes of Southern Rajasthan.

After 5 hours we reached Sawai Madhopur station and drivers were waiting for us to take us to the hotel.
20 minutes later a jungle path lead offroad towards a sounds. Slowly approaching the drums could be heard through the car...two guys accompanied us on our way to the reception. The Indian sounds instantly transferred us into the mood of tradition and culture. Walking through a park with fountain and flowers at the end Nadine welcomed each one with a traditional procedure sticking some rice between the eyes. Still music was played and everyone had a bright smile on their faces.
The rest of the evening was quite relaxed with exploring the hotel area, dinner and watching a bollywood movie in the hotels own theater.

If our society would be as morning active as wildlife is, we would probably accomplish more. Given this fact, we were picked up at 6am for a safari in the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve to eventually spot tigers in the 100 square kilomiter large reserve, of which only 40% are accessible. After a short while seeing impalas on the way, Nadine and I were very certain, there was a tiger beneath a tree resting and turning its head. The guide tried to convince us that is was only a stone, but we were sure and so YES we saw a tiger ;). Driving around for about 4 hours was tiring, so we almost all fell asleep on the way back.

Short breakfast and chill out at the pool until next program topic was about to come up...dance class! 3 hours of coreagraphy and we were ready to perform 7 minutes at next days celebration. Kind of sweaty but sooo much fun, even the guys participated with enthousiasm :).
Off to the evening part, Mendhi ceremony for the ladies, guys watched...followed by some drinks the party reached its peak, even before dinner, which then knocked us out and fell into bed to tank-up for the next final wedding day starting early morning...

Again early start with the first ceremony of the day, the Haldi. We were supposed to wear orange or yellow clothes, my choice was the new saree. We all gathered at the pool area where the place and stage was decorated in yellow and orange flowers. The bride and groom were about to get blessings from us with a tumeric paste that we put on their face, hands and feet. Good luck for the wedding!

After breakfast there was not much time until the actual wedding ceremony started...one hour later we accompanied the groom on his way to the wedding by taking a path around the hotel complex accompanied by musicians and a horse on which the groom was sitting.
Everyone had to now cover their heads with turbans or scarfs before entering the wedding room.
We sat in the room for at least one hour before the bride arrived. Prayers were said and after some ritual gestures we left the room. You could tell how happy and reliefed Nadine and Jagjit were, that the main part was done.
Our part was still to come....dance practice after lunch for our evening performance, almost all afternoon.

Short time to get ready, but made it on time. The reception took place at the main pool. Lights transformed the location into a pink/purple dream with tables decorated and a specially built stage, on which we were about to perform. After the professional dancers (I was too nervous to take pictures) it was our turn. Surprisingly good we performed so even Nadine joining us on stage later had tears in her eyes. We continued dancing on stage until at already ten o'clock we all got hungry and had dinner...followed by the after party in a separate room ;)