Nepali Hindu Wedding

The wedding was on a Monday afternoon. I was concerned about the fact that we were all going to be teaching during the wedding, but nobody else seemed too worried. In fact, while I was teaching the 5th graders, Uttam came into my class to let me know that school would be closing early so that all teachers could get ready for and attend the wedding.

Shanti doing my makeup

After lunch, all classes stopped and wedding preparations commenced. Shanti and the other teachers transformed Ceceil and I into fancy Nepali women. I have never worn so much black eye makeup in my life but Shanti insisted that is how women in Nepal do their make up. My nail polish consisted of multiple color with lines and dots. I loved it!

Such a wonderful group of women!

After getting dressed and beautified, we all stood outside for photo ops before we started the hike to the wedding. The wedding was held in a neighboring village about a 45 minute hike from the school. It felt funny hiking up hills and through mountains while dressed so fancy. We stopped a lot of times for photos and selfies!

Shanti, the Nepali Princess

🙂

After arriving at the village, our large group (which was actually never invited) were made to feel welcomed right away. I had asked Shanti if it was ok that we were all just showing up and she explained that that is how celebrations and wedding are in the villages. Everyone knows about the wedding and you just show up. The more people the better! We all sat down in the sun and I felt like we were in the best spot. People were dancing, cooking and singing right in front of us. And it was warm!

Our fabulous group

We were all given food and it was very similar to the food we ate at the Hindu Home Blessing. I learned that this is the traditional food that is eaten at celebrations. I have started getting really good at eating with my fingers. There is this certain “finger scoop” that is required so that you don’t get food all over the place and although I have not mastered it, I am getting better! The food consisted of Sel Roti, which is sweet round fried bread, curried potatoes, different vegetables and sauces, dried rice, and a little bit of goat meat with goat blood. We also started getting poured glasses of Raksi. Throughout the night, the glasses never seemed to empty and the Raksi proved to be a little too strong for me!

Food that is served at celebrations

Enjoying the food and sun

Up to this point, the bride and groom were nowhere to be seen. In fact, there were less people at the wedding that I originally thought there would be. Most of the people that were present were all working hard at cooking and serving the small amount of guests that were there. However, during our meal, more and more people started to arrive. I asked where the bride and groom were and I was told they were at the bride’s house partaking in ceremonies and rituals. It was about 5:30 PM at this point and the bride and groom had been involved in some sort of ceremony all day. Finally, a wedding procession started that involved the bride, groom, family members and multiple other people.

“Here comes the bride”

The bride and groom took their seats next to each other on the ground while everyone surrounded them. Over the next few hours, people blessed the couple and gave them Tikka. While watching the ceremonies take place, I could not help but feel a little sad for the couple, especially the bride. It was an arranged marriage and she was only about twenty years old. Starting on the night of her wedding, this young woman’s life was about to change. She would be leaving the family and the only life she had ever known and moving in with a strange man. She would also be required to have sex for the first time with her new husband. A man she didn’t even know. As a watched this young couple, I noticed their distant body language and how sad the bride looked. She did not look like a happy and giddy bride. I am assuming all of this and I know assumptions are often wrong and one should not assume. I also know that my western ideas regarding love and marriage have been engrained in me. In the USA we have an extremely high divorce rate so just maybe a little uncomfortableness and sadness in the beginning of a marriage is worth it. Although, I doubt it.

Bride and Groom

I took a turn blessing the couple and giving them Tikka. I provided them each with some rupees and sent them love and prayers.

Blessings

Bride and Groom

During this time, the party really got started. Dancing, more eating, and more Raksi drinking continued. There were also numerous bonfires that people could sit around. The bride and groom continued to sit and receive blessings and Tikka throughout the night. It seems that in weddings in the states, the bride and groom are always so busy playing host and hostess and visiting with each guest that they never really get to join in on the party…So in a way it was similar, however, this Hindu wedding took it to the extreme!

Giggles with Ramila and Nanne

Large bowls of Raksi with Uttam

Nanne, Uttam and myself 🙂

After our second meal of the night, we all decided to go to Nanne’s home for tea (and buffalo milk for me because I can’t drink caffeine at night!) Nanne’s family lived in the same village and was only about a five-minute walk from the wedding. We sat around, enjoyed our tea and buffalo milk and then it was time to hike back the 45 minutes in the dark. I decided that I was not interested in doing this hike and Nanne was excited to invite me to sleepover!