Turmeric, known as haldi in Hindi, is not only commonly used in Indian cuisine, it is also an important part of the Hindu pre-wedding ceremony called haldi. Haldi is known for its anti-inflammatory, healing, beautifying, antiseptic and cleansing properties and is essentially used to purify the bride and groom.
Its beautiful mustard yellow color is considered auspicious in Indian tradition and represents a life of prosperity for the couple beginning their new life together.
And so we all dress in yellow and begin the haldi ceremony. It is exuberant and cheerful, there are games and we dance to loud music and rhythmic drums.
We fit in perfectly with my yellow lehenga and Martin's yellow kurta. A stage is set up outside the hotel and now there is also a DJ and an entertainer to host us through the afternoon.
There are loud and enthusiastic dance competitions between members of the groom's family and members of the bride's family. Afterwards, we all dance to the rhythmic sounds of the drums. The drummers were already part of the ring ceremony and will also set the beat for the following functions.
We are in the middle of the crowd, dancing with the group and suddenly it goes poof and after one another Martin and I are sitting on the drum that the drummer has stretched in front of his stomach. Funny and strange at the same time. Meanwhile, the bride and groom get yellow paint on their faces at the end of the Haldi celebration.
The crowd slowly disperses around 6 pm and we head to the dinner buffet. Once again, we are delighted with the variety of dishes and feast our way through.
After dinner, we have another short breather before getting changed again.
Missed the first part of the wedding, the ring ceremony?
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