The Wedding

Al Simon and Buju Dasgupta are a delightful couple and good friends of mine. They got married in Manchester CT in August and I had the honor of officiating their first wedding in a civil service set in beautiful environs at Wickham Park?
  Part 1 was to be followed by part deux in Kolka India on January 2 2015.
  Here I am - dancing in their energy field as they absorb the rays of ancient tradition and custom shining on their very unique newlywed moments. 
   Most of the weddings I perform as a Justice of the Peace last 3-15 minutes. AL and Buju had a special plan for wedding #1 that ran about 25 minutes. Buju wanted a ceremony rich with memorable emotion and warm experience so she scripted a bang up ceremony that everyone loved. I acted as MC And JP for the show.
  To top that one would be hard - but in the rich experience category nothing can top the 3000 year old symbolism etched in ritual to unite this lovely couple.
  It is a multi step process goes all day but finishes with the main ceremony lasting 2-3 hours that brings the couple together with elders and family

 symbolically testing commitment, seeking permission, giving approvals,  releasing the bride, all witnessed by family and friends as the couple sequence into the final eternal merging of the souls.
  One hell of a show.  
  The wedding was held at a local facility well quipped with all the necessary parts props and pagodas needed to sequence through the process. A small room for the couple to be talked to by elders.  Observers enter and leave the room to see the couple engage in their marriage process.

  Sitting together in the chairs-  fully dressed in traditional threads and flowers and that meaningful hat that Al wore just added more richness to the colorful textured ritual.
  The bride does 7 laps around the groom, feigning invisibility until the magic moment of a first glimpse at her hubby to be. - says a little something about how things were centuries or eons ago-

  Both of the partners state and act out their 

commitments in stages finally leading up to the last part, the official declaration of unity, that they....are now one.

  My ceremonies are usually part 12 only of the 12 part Indian wedding - 15 minutes VS 3 hours.
   But I wouldn't have missed it for the world.  It's not often one gets the privilege to have seen the contrasts of ceremonial process and such a rich and colorful event. It is especially rewarding to have been a part of the lives of these 2 wonderful people...
   For those attending ,Buju gave us a quick cultural summary of wedding protocol - you can show up late, leave early, go visit and chat with friends and relatives,  post live FB coverage and eat when the food is ready....the show will go on and the soon to be happy pair get their mettle tested just by endurance....Hey, it's 3 hours - witnesses can celebrate with the parts they like best - only the bride and groom need to keep the show going.
   The buffet opened at 7:30 - ceremony finished after 8 - a bunch of folks who have more than seen their first Indian wedding opted for the food line instead of the finale - I stayed  - and there was still plenty of tasty food to sample when I got there.
   Congrats again Buju and Al
  Tonight - Sunday is the less ritualistic celebration party.  No traditional costumes -no script - just celebrating the big deal.
   Woo Hoo - Kolkata   what a blast
It's like one big fat ugly oyster that you open up and find a beautiful pearl...there are treasures here. Just not everywhere ....yet




 laundry with different dote. side
I'm notOKzzoi