March
2025
Part 1 Wedding
I flew out of Heathrow on the 27th February on our next expedition to India. Only four suitcases this time, two of which contained bike gear. We had enough clothes for five weeks away and included a wedding and a bike ride and returning on the 4th April. This is the chronical of that trip. The cards were unreliable but the internet access by a virtual internet downloaded to my mobile worked extremely well for the duration of the trip. It is Nomad downloaded and set up before we left on a thirty day contract it ran out just before we returned to Delhi.It is a tiring flight, made more so when you arrive at your destination at midnight. Back in Noida to have the first few days with Gita’s mum and sister. We had problems with credit cards and bank cards on our last trip. Better prepared we had what we thought was enough cash but as a backup we had use of an Indian credit card used by Ankur, Bhonti’s son. AS we could not carry everything presents had to be bought for the next stage of our trip, the wedding in Assam. To get there was a flight to Guwahati and a two hour taxi ride to a town to the east Nagaon where the brides’ family live and the first part of the wedding takes place.
We gathered at the hostel where were staying about seven in the evening. It was dark by then and parked ready was the decorated car which Rishi, best man and the “maids of honour” travel in. Lots of photos at this point before departure. Rishi’s friends were getting hyped. When the whole entourage departed it was with much noise and show o let everyone know they were coming. The boys took the opportunity to be hooligans leaning out of the car windows and making as much noise as possible.
They took the scenic route through the town and arrived at the brides’ parents house for the ceremony. It was even noisier with music and firecrackers announcing the groom had arrived. There is a certain amount of pagan traditions that need to take place that I did not understand like the groom and best man have to stay in the car with nose and mouth covered to stop being infected by evil spirits. When released were showered with rice before being received by the matriarch who blessed him in four directions. He was facing a wall of relatives. Finally the matriarch allowed him to proceed. He was lead to the area set aside for the priests. The groom and best man were to their extreme right, space for the bride then the priests. It was not long before the bride arrived and the ceremony really began.So did the food so most people went for something to eat. They missed the important bit of sharing their vows and the actions that went along with them. It was not like anything I had seen before but it seemed so familiar. There were exchanges of rings and the presentation of a symbolic sword and after games of who could find the ring quickest of which best of three worked. The evening ended with lots of photos and meeting people. I went back to the hotel and Gita stayed to help clear up. She got back at three. We had to leave early to take a taxi to Guwahati airport. It was a mistake to take a plane. The logistics of where towns are located it was three hours back to the airport and two hours from Dibrugahr where we flew to, to Nazira. The relatives who went directly from Nagaon got there before us. It only took them six hours. We, however, took Twelve most of which was airport driven. I’ll not do that again.
Chinmoy and Bikash collected us from Dibrugahr airport and took us to Nazira and the Oil India accommodation and met up with Gita’s brothers there. Another suitcase full of presents to be dished out. We had another family day before the wedding. Another lavish affair this time from Rishi’s family. Namely us.
Wedding day was busy with a constant stream of people coming to wish the bride and groom well and have food as well. It felt like the whole town was there including the mayor. Chinmoy and Bikash came too talk to me about the forthcoming bike ride. Can I do 200km in a day? Ofcourse I can. I thought silly question I did not realise the implications at the time. It was an event to show off the bride with so many pictures taken. I went back to the accommodation around ten and Gita stayed to help out and got back at one. Another experience to ponder.