An Indian Sikh Wedding It took place in Chandigar & New Dehli First day: Welkome party for familly & friends Second day: Engagement ( civil ceremony ) at midday, reception´party at night Third day: Religious ceremony and lunch party at midday. Later that day: The bride gets out of her familly Forth day: Farewell party at a hotel in New Dehli

The beginning: The mother in law puts henna on the front of the bride meaning that she is from now a married woman. The bride is dressed with the sari her future mother in law used years ago in the same ceremony. .

Then, the more intimate members of the familly & friends congratulate the new couple given them presents. They go 3 times round the couple with a velvet cushion in their hands. On it laid the presents ( like jewells, saries ) or money & checks ( inside a blue envelope) End of the civil ceremony, the ploto sesion begins, after it a lunch is served.

A party is given by the bridegroom´parents, the bride is the only one not to be present. Thats why she can´t see her fiance until the religious ceremony that will take place the following morning.

Following old tradition the briidegroom appears riding a white horse with his familly & friends round him, singing & dancing.

His head is covered with a helmet from which hang pearls and golden threads, in his hand he has a sword. In that way he make the entrance to the party.

He goes through a flowers arch, waiting to welkome him is his bride familly. Men of each familly wear a diffferent turban´colour, light pink , the bride familly, purple the bridegroom´s.

Women & men waiting separated

The religious ceremony was presided by a priest, siting at the front, behind a table, were the Sacred Book is placed.

The floor was covered with white silk and nards hang giving the air that special smell.

A s ussual, women and men were appart, they ( the women) barefoot with a scarf covering their heads.

The bridegroom appears first and sits down on a cushion to wait for the bride. There is music played softly.

First the bride goes alone round the altar one time, on each angle of it there is a man to scort her to the next corner. While doing it, the priest recited reading the pages of the sacred book which slide down, falling from the altar to the floor. Finally the couple goes three times round the Sacred book ,laid on the altar.

Entrance of the bride with her bridesmaids.

During the ceremony, this man offer each one of the people a napkin over which was a sweet substance that he served from the bowl he has on his left hand and that we have to eat. It seems to be a way for all the people present to participate in the wedding.

Finally married, begin the photo sesion .

At the wedding party the music was perfomed by a militar band

Final bride´departure from her family´s house

She was to be carried alone in a wooden box, hidden by a curtain of flowers h from her husband & familly.

Thats the way she goes from her familly´house to the car that is waiting for the couple to carry them to…married life

To be at this wedding was like a dream to me. I enjoyed the ceremonies , dancing at the parties, the fabolous meals… , the colours, the smells, the people, it was unforgetable. Year 2003 Photos: taken with an analogical camera By Maria [email_address]