Lethargic IITian
Musings of a 20-something lethargic IITian on India and Catholicism.


Wednesday, June 26, 2002  

Well ... this one's coming to you straight from Down Under (I mean Kerala, of course!).

Finally had the opportunity to see a traditional Syro-Malabar wedding up close. Actually, it's only the engagement so far; and the wedding's on the 6th. The bride's my first cousin ... the first of my generation to get married in the family. So naturally, it's a big affair.

The engagement itself was a small ceremony, followed by some not-so-light snacks (because it was evening) for the 400-odd guests. The engagement is usually held in the bride's local parish; the wedding in the groom's (except where the bride is an only child - then the groom is said to be "adopted" by the bride's parents). This was followed by black coffee at the bride's home (another tradition) where the wedding date is finalised; along with the date and venue for picking up the manthrakodi and gold, etc. My cousin's too shy to wear a proper bridal dress, so she'll wear a white saree instead.

Interesting to watch a traditional patriarchal society wedding.

posted by Kensy | 2:30 AM
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past blogs of interest
Hinduism as a religion
Pederasty and the American Church
Caste in Indian Christianity
Syro-Malabar engagements
Syro-Malabar weddings
Divine Retreat Centre
Varsha Bhosle and Ideological Relativism
Anti-Conversion Ordinance and the Church stance
Self-Righteous Rightism
The Hindutva Attack on St. Francis Xavier
Varsha Bhosle and the Church (U-turn)
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