The final part of the wedding begins at 6 pm, as the couple are not yet married. Only now comes the puja, the ceremony in which the two are married. The priest intones the ritual in very fast Sanskrit (to our ears it almost sounds like rapping).
The couple and their parents and siblings throw rice and perform other rituals. Also, the bride and groom exchange necklaces, which is then considered the actual marriage.
Afterwards, a few tears are shed: the bride and mother of the bride in particular cry, as this part of the ceremony marks the end of the wedding and the end of their time together. The bride now moves into the groom's family home / becomes part of his family.
Traditionally, the couple, or at least the wife, will now spend several weeks in the homes of the husband's family (including uncles and aunts) in order to get to know the family better. The couple then traditionally move into their parents' home. She helps with the household, he goes out to work. If the family has several sons, they also live in the parents' house. Children do not have to move out either; they are brought up in the groom's parents' house - a true multi-generational home.
However, tradition is no longer upheld too strongly. Many move to the big cities like Bengaluru or Delhi for work. The couple whose wedding we are attending will be moving to Dubai.
Unfortunately, we can't stay until the end of the ceremony as we have to return to Bangalore. So we quickly change into our comfortable travel outfits, eat a snack at the urgent request of my
colleague's mother and then drive to the airport.
An incredibly exciting, colorful and happy weekend comes to an end. Many thanks to the bride, groom and their families for the wonderful time.
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