Beyond one's own
Blending different traditions and cultures
The global village syndrome seems to be affecting cultures more than the economies. In the context of marriages and ceremonies, the last few decades have seen a seamless amalgamation of foreign customs by various ethnic groups. Be it trans-border or within India, cultural boundaries may be still rigid but influences are seeping through.
Take for example the custom of cake-cutting that the bride and groom go through in Christian weddings. More often then not, these days the groom's friends organise a little cake-cutting party after the bidaai of the bride. The custom is meant to be as celebratory as it is in its original Christian context.
Another famous Western custom that Indians have been following with great gusto is the pre-wedding bachelor / spinster parties. In the West, these parties are supposed to celebrate the last precious day of, 'free' single hood. The bride has a party with her girlfriends and the groom with his guy friends to commemorate the last day of their 'freedom'.
Talking about intercultural influences, a wide variety of customs find acceptance in different communities due to their popularity. At times, the trendiness of it all makes for the temporary inclusion to become a done thing. For example, the custom of hiding the groom's shoes before the bidaai as a playful act by the bride's sisters. This, a basically North Indian custom is a fun activity which leads to a lot of teasing, battle of wits and laughter. It has now become almost a part of a number of community marriages, traditional or otherwise.
Another Northern custom to be adopted is the sangeet. A typically Punjabi custom, sangeet is a musical evening that is set aside where the female relatives sing wedding folk songs and dance their hearts out. These days sangeet is not a pro-gender affair nor is it limited to the Punjabi traditions.
Yet another beautiful tradition to gain pan-Indian acceptance is the mehendi ceremony. The mehendi ceremony is a popular and auspicious mark in North and West Indian weddings where the bride's hands and feet are decorated with pretty patterns using mehendi. Mehendi is not a common phenomena in the South but today it is finding acceptance there as well. As marriages are becoming more of a personal affair, these elements keep the joy of weddings alive.
Weddings are also increasingly becoming a style statement. Hence, apart from imbibing rich, meaningful customs from other cultures, they are also evolving into a materialistic exercise. For example, dressing. Today, the bride and the groom wear traditional dresses strictly only when required by their respective rituals. The rest of the time, all pre-wedding ceremonies and reception, it is the designer wear which rules. Stylish fish cut lachhas replace flouncy ghaghras, stitched sarees replace the six yard one and Jodhpuris or three-piece suits replace the kurta pyjama or dhoti and kurta.
Traditionally weddings have always been an opportunity to flaunt wealth through opulence, and these days, it is done through themes. The décor of the whole marriage is built to replicate a particular era, community or place. For eg there are village themes, Mughal themes, Goan themes etc., meant to add the extra flavour to the proceedings.
If different themes add to the romance of marriages beyond its rituals then there is music, which adds to the nuances of celebration and partying. Gone are the days of folk and traditional songs in weddings. Today, traditional songs are sung only at the time of the wedding, on special moments like, when the groom applies the sindoor or puts the mangalsutra around the bride's neck. The rest of the time it is film music that rocks the ambience, even at the time of the bidaai.
Marriages are made in heaven and executed on earth. This seamless absorption of rituals from different cultures affirms the fact that they are executed in the best and most beautiful manner. It might alter the personality of the community slightly but at the end of the day it is meant to celebrate a union, which was destined to be. Celebrations may come in different packages but all wish the same thing. A wish for the couple to live happily ever after.
