Marriage Madness

The one thing which I had most hoped to see this year was an Indian marriage, so I couldn't believe my luck when I received two  beautiful wedding invitations, the corners dipped in curry. However, it take me a while to work out where the weddings were, when they were taking place, and if I would get the chance to go. Of course part of the confusion was that the invitations were in Telugu, but the main problem was that both teachers were getting married on the same day, in the same village, and both teachers were kindergarten teachers called Anusha! So I decided to just go with the flow.

The day before the marriage I went with two high school teachers to a celebratory meal in Tangutur for one of the Anushas, which was similar to the street meals at the Ganesh festival, except with special, very sweet, wedding food. Before the meal I was invited into a room to 'help' Anusha get ready. Even though I had no idea how to attach the almost floor length flower piece to her hair or put on the gold head piece or belt, I felt honoured to be allowed to enter the room and watch the preparations.

I thought that was the end of the marriage excitement for me. But the next day at lunch time I was told to go to my room, quickly wash my face and come straight back. Then I piled into a school bus with about ten other teachers and we headed to the two Anushas' village. The speeding bus, bumpy journey, laughing teachers and the fact that I didn't know whose marriage I was going to all made it feel like a start of an adventure! We missed the official marriage ceremony (that's what happens when you work on Indian time!) but the teachers assured me that the best was still yet to come. Preparations for the meal were well underway as we walked through the tressled tables. Turning a corner, we saw the second Anusha in a beautiful off-white saree adorned with gold jewellery and flowers decorating her face and hair sitting on a raised, decorated platform with her husband. I never found out the name of the husband. None of the teachers knew, because of course with it being an arranged marriage, as most marriages in India are, even Anusha had only met him once or twice before the ceremony. But, we sat at chairs surrounding the stage which was almost like a viewing platform, and watched the different blessings, the tying of Anusha's saree to the man, the cracking of the coconut, the searching in the pot for the rings (which the teachers called "a little game"), the sprinkling of rice and the gift giving, before eating another celebration meal. Then we headed to one madam's house for a rest, before taking the school bus back where the talk ranged from the colour of my skin, to sarees, to curry. Haseena madam held my hand as we walked which, as it is a sign of friendship in India, was a touching gesture. Looking back, I suppose that I will remember this day, not for the wedding, but for the feeling that, for the first time, I really was included as a fellow and equal teacher.

There are still more marriages going on in Tangutur this week. Across the street a neighbour is getting married and yesterday the family went to a relative's marriage in another village. This meant that I rode on Ramana's motorbike to go and eat at the other house with Siva Kumari. When I told him that it was my first motobike ride (and I was a little scared because Ramana had an accident last week), he replied with, "Well I've only had two months experience so its all new to me too!" Madness!