off to punjabi wedding

julesa

thanks in no small part to the knowledgable people on this forum, plans are now firmly in place and i'm set to leave with my g/friend for delhi on Jan 1 to attend a wedding reception (the wife suspects it will be a wedding) in chandigarh, Punjab.

apart from learning to dual light bulb changing dance, does anyone have any tips about how to prepare for such an event? i'm planning on wearing shirt and pants.

SANJAY_DEL

It will be cold in Jan in Chandigarh, so you can wear a jacket and tie as well.

ranjan154

I dont think he will need any hot wear, as the atmosphere will be hat and charging enough ..

BTW take care and dont have too much of booze.. i hope you got it Punjabi wedding without booze not possible

__________________
Rakesh Ranjan
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New-South-Welshman

Very bad advice. Hehe.

Sounds like fun! I was part of an Indian wedding almost three years back. Was so much fun! It will be not only a highlight of India, but you'll be telling your mates about how crazy the procedure was! God, I wish I went to another Indian wedding.

ranjan154

My friends made me dance in my marriage only... embarrasing but they didnt bothered.. all were drunk .. my money involved

raaz

Just Go n Enjoy..tk some gift ofcourse....
nothing else ..i am sure u will have a lot to share with us when u r back. You would find Indian family very hospitable n will learn lot about indian values n rituals.
n Offcourse u might want to tk ur best clothes as there will be like a fashion show their on display ,with their best clothes on, especially girls n women.( it all depends what & how many events you will actually participate in )Maybe an excuse to buy something Traditional indian.

04274108

Hi julesa,

I attended a Sihk wedding in Chandigarh December 2004. I think your selection of clothes is very suitable. If you're in you're 30+, you might feel a bit underdressed and should consider a suit and tie.

When you enter a gurdawa (the Sikh temple), you will have to cover your head. The gurdawa will have linen that you wrap around your head but you may want to buy a new one for yourself.

Enter the gurdawa, you and your girlfriend will walk to the alter (don't worry, you're not the one getting married YET), get down on your hands and knees and bow so that your forheads touch the ground. Pray a moment and when you get up, make a small donation (50-100Rs is more than enough). From here, men and women are segregated in the gurdawa; men on one side, women on the other.

During the ceremony, a little food will be passed out. Accept it and eat it...this is a sign of community, generousity etc...

After that, be prepared for days of celebration. At the receptions (yes there will be several) you'll be bombarded with delicious food, fruit juices. You'll also get a chance to dance ... not being a Sikh, I found a lot of reluctance from the women to dance with me (I don't know if I was trying to cross an impenetrable cultural barrier or if they all sensed that I'm a crappy dancer). However, if I joined a group already dancing, that seemed more acceptable to them.

Regarding the weather, it was very cold in the mornings (sub 0C one day). It was also very foggy and rainy. One of my favourite memories of India was leaving Chandigarh on a very gloomy, cold morning. Sitting on the train almost everyone on the platform waiting for the next train were wrapped up in beautiful, colourful, pashmina shawls. That was their "winter coat".

Have fun and enjoy the wedding. Experiencing a Sikh wedding in Punjab was a life-changing experience. I've never felt such a strong sense of faith and community as when I sat in the Gurdawa that morning.

himadventures

Yes- good post 04274108!

This was important for anyone coming to Punjab on any ceremoney.But if you had alcohal- avoid going inside the Gurudwara-stay outside.

GOLDEN RULE: Do as romans do...just follow what others are doing. Covering of head is must- if due to any reason-you do not want to bow down...join your hands and say a small prayer and come and sit according to your gender with others.