The Royal Wedding

Pre-script : the title of the post should have been 'The best friend's (III) wedding'. But this one suits better, as you will know why :)


In between a horrible work week (in terms of volume and dependencies) and stupid rains, I was really looking forward to Pradnya's wedding! Yes despite the mental and physical dead-ness. (They had to pick me up from office itself!!)


A brief showdown of my history with Pradnya. We have popularly had great chemistry, being the only class mates who stayed in hostel. With the inherent stubborn attitude, things were not always rosy with us. But we bonded well in spite of our differences and have stayed close friends for 9 years now :) Life has taken us places, literally and figuratively. We have been to abysmal depths and awesome highs and its always been a comfort to have her by my side :) (and vice versa too ? )


Anywho, coming back to the wedding!! The journey was super different as we had respective parents along. I have not traveled with my parents and my friends' parents being together. So this journey turned into a major kitchen-talk and gossip-fest. Well the mothers could not resist noticing how we take them for granted and gossiping about it IN FRONT OF us!!!! Poor driver! Must have felt really put of place :P
I enjoyed both, cos I like cooking and manage a kitchen myself and the other part too, cos aai no longer feels like I am the only one who does't listen to her at times :P (Come on aren't all daughters like that ? ;-))
So the journey which was a 6 hour long drive felt like a stimulating bonding session.


When we reached the venue, we had already missed the events like engagement and haldi. Thanks to our amazing navigation skills :-/ We got to have the best dinner though, cos we dined with the bride and groom :D
We clicked loads of pics with mother-daughter poses and tried to make up for time lost :)


It was decided that all the girls would stay over at Pradnya's and not at the hotel, which just made the rather dull night (for us cos we had missed all the events) funner. Many many folds!!! Once at Pradnya's after taking care of next day's preparations and helping pradnya clean up, we indulged in loads of girl gossip. From group to one on one. Which is always fun and enlightening! :P

Next day we responsibly reached the venue on time with the bride and got back to get ready ourselves. Little did we know that what all grandeur awaited us! (I wore my own saree FYI, just a little help from aai for the pallu tuck :))

Tutari :)

There was Peshwai welcome for all the guests, with flower petals showered on us by girls clad in Nauvari sarees and putting haldi kunkoo on our forehead (I was on a office call so I was saved! :P) Oh btw Nauvari sarees are very traditional and are becoming rarer these days owing to not many knowing how to wear one.
There were guys with Tutaari (another traditional musical instrument..to listen go here) wearing pheta and dhotar (called dhoti in hindi). Very traditional and royal stuff indeed!

Amid all these, the groom made a very royal entry (on an elephant) and swept off the bride to the stage to wed her officially :) Mangalashtaka were chanted, akshata were showered and thus they got married. Do you realize I did not miss any of these, like last time :P


A lot of stage-photo-shooting happened. Amazing food was eaten. And we had to leave without witnessing any other rituals/ceremonies cos I HAD TO WORK!! sob..


A few more pics to end the post..

Here's wishing both the bride and groom a lifetime of happiness and sunshine :)










~nightflier