What Ho! Ah! To live with a What Ho on my lips and a Gentleman's Gentleman… {sigh}… Such is life…

Sonu's Marriage – The Ceremony 2

The Anya Sthana ceremony culiminates in four Brahmins standing around the groom and winding a long thread into a thin rope a couple of feet long.
This is then used to create a bracelet of leafs and grass. Each node is named for a couple from Indian mythology like Ram - Sita, Ravana - Mandodari etc. The bracelet is tied to the right wrist of the groom. He will wear it for four days till the Chaturthi Ceremony on the fourth day after the marriage when the bride and groom spend their first night together.

Time: 12.30 p.m.
Date: 8th, May, 2008
Place: Mayfair Lagoon, Bhubaneswar

Sonu's Marriage – The Ceremony 1

The marriage ceremony started with the Bride's father welcoming the Groom, washing his feet and leading him by the thumb to the Bedi (marriage platform). After the initiation ceremony the groom was lead away to the Anya Sthana ceremony and the bride replaced him on the bedi for the first bedi karma.
The old priest conducting the ceremony from the groom's side is Shri Braja Bihari Dash. He conducted all the marriages of my mother's family, including my parent's, 38 years ago. The Anya Sthana ceremony picture is poignant as Shri Dash married the Groom's father now sitting with his son to propiate his ancestors and seek their blessing for this marriage.

Time: 11:45 a.m.
Date: 8th, May, 2008
Place: Mayfair Lagoon, Bhubaneswar

Sonu's Marriage – Barat 3

Sonu could not stay put for long and jumped out to jumped out to join the dancing. The Bride, Sulagna, was waiting...
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Date: 8th, May, 2008
Place: Mayfair Lagoon, Bhubaneswar

Sonu's Marriage – Barat 2

More Barat pictures. Everybody danced, young and old, including yours truely.
Mamli looked lovely in her new dress and danced a lot with Goodly, Sonu's younger sister, Kunmun, Sandip, Saran and my mamu's.

Time: 10:45 a.m.
Date: 8th, May, 2008
Place: Mayfair Lagoon, Bhubaneswar.

Sonu's Marriage – Barat

Sonu is getting married today. These pictures are of his barat. Of the dancing and the groom's car.

Time: 10:30 a.m.
Date: 8th May, 2008