WEDDING TIME...
The wedding is actually a seven day process that involves numerous ceremonies every day. Many of the ceremonies involve only the families of the bride and groom whereas others involve all of the guests. We arrived on Day 3 as all of the ceremonies before then were private.
The wedding is a Sikh wedding. Sikhism is the fifth most widely practiced religion in the world and started in present day India. The Sikhs are among the most misunderstood religions in the West. Because of their turbans, they are often assumed to be xenophobic and introverted, but nothing could be further from the truth. Sikhism is a monotheistic religion that evolved relatively recently and incorporates Hindu, Islamic, and Buddhist influences. The turban is symbolic of equality as well as an expression of Sikh identity.
As I knew from my friendship with Sikhs in the U.S., their religion does not place any of the sorts of prohibitions that more conservative sects of Islam or Christianity impose. And they're fun to party and socialize with!
The first ceremony we attended was the ring ceremony in the temple. This is a day- long process that consists of a number of separate ceremonies. We started the day with music and prayers at the temple. When compared with Western practices, this is roughly equivalent to when the couple gets engaged.
The large shrine on the left is called the takhat and contains the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred text of Sikhism. The takhat is similar in concept to the altar in Christian churches in that it forms the focus of worship activities and it is from the takhat that the Guru Granth Sahib is recited.
The large shrine on the left is called the takhat and contains the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred text of Sikhism. The takhat is similar in concept to the altar in Christian churches in that it forms the focus of worship activities and it is from the takhat that the Guru Granth Sahib is recited.
Komal is not present at this time; she will undergo a separate ceremony with her family and guests. At his time, only Hariyot, his family, and his guests attend this ceremony. Here you can see the Giani (a Sikh priest) performing prayers over Hariyot. As is the case with entering any Sikh temple, you must remove your shoes and cover your head. However, since this ceremony is not formal, non-Sikhs like myself can cover their heads with a hankerchief rather than wear a turban.
Afterwards, family and friends come to the groom with offerings of food, clothes, and money.
That evening, we return to the hotel for the ring ceremony. Now, we meet Komal for the first time. Her mother is seated next to her. Hariyot's mother, Siti, is standing just behind Komal's mother.
Shortly thereafter, Komal and Hariyot put on their rings.
Afterwards, we celebrate with dinner and dancing. Komal's family put on a Bollywood style performance for the entire audience. Bollywood dancing is serious business in India, a route to fame and fortune if you're talented and lucky. Dancing classes and camps are held throughout the country teaching students who hope to make it big in India's movie industry one day. It's similar to America's sports camps where kids hope to become a big time baseball or basketball star.