In Love with Weddings

This is not exactly a continuation of my post "In love with Marriage", though it was among the most viewed, liked and shared! But this post is about what happens when a Couple or two Families decide to Marry! - I do believe in the fact that Love happens between two People and Marriages happen between two Families! This Event is called WEDDING and I see that expression on your face! I know you are In Love with Weddings - those couple of days when the extravaganza takes place!

But, if you are not, I'll tell you why you should be. If you are a kid (obviously not because you won't be reading this, but still let's consider), you have all the space to roam around in the place. Your mother is off either participating in the ceremonies, gossiping, helping in the preparations or a 1000 other jobs which the ladies take care at the wedding! You are allowed to get your clothes dirty, smash the glasses filled with water or other drinks, do all the things that you are generally prohibited if you were at home. And if you do get hurt during all this, or are bored, just Cry - loud enough and the world comes to you with all the animations that they can. And yes, the Chocolates.

But since you aren't a Kid. You may be a grown up Girl or Boy - School or College going! You don't really want to be here, because the elders would ask you the same old silly questions. "My goodness! You have grown So Big!" (obviously I'll grow! am I a Ball). Or, "Which class are you in?", Which College?", "Studying what?" etc, etc,. But then it's still manageable because that event becomes your meeting place for Cousins! You laugh off at silly jokes, have fun, Play! Brownie points if your Uncle and Aunts have brought Gifts for you! You also participate in the dance drama that nowadays happens at almost all the weddings, irrespective of the Religion! There is another good point for the late Teens and Early 20s of this category, but I'll club it in the next Paragraph (wink).

Okay! So you are not the Student Community! But you are Single! You may have had nightmares that going to the wedding may lead to get interviewed by some Seniors who will later come to your Parents with a Marriage Proposal (this is how Traditional Arrange Marriages happen in India). But you were forced to come! Excitement of meeting your Cousins is there. Nice, new Fancy clothes and Good Looks is another reason as you'll get some good Selfies for Instagram & Facebook with a Hashtag #WeddingSelfies #Cousins #Fun #WithBride #WithGroom etc etc. (Live for Likes that's what a Online store says). But wait, the real fun is now - when the Bride & Groom Family comes together during the wedding or the pre-wedding rituals! You have spot the Girl with long hair or the Guy with dimples! And that's where all other things cease to exists! I'll let you be in your imagination now! I am sure you got reminded of your last Wedding that you attended!

Well for people who are married, there are again two categories ; Recently married or with kids! For the recently married ones, it like a Suraj Barjatiaya Film. They stay away from each other, in different groups, but keep looking at each other; smile, blush; Family members tease - and you blush again; you tease the Would be bride & Groom - and you blush again! for the ones with kids, you have to balance between running around after your kids and doing with your Responsibilities at the weddings! Now if you ask me why are they given the Responsibilities, then well, the fact that they married and are raising kids is the Medal that shows off that they are responsible enough, isn't it?

And then there are elders or seniors, who have a say at everything happening right or wrong! they are like the Panchayats! they sit and flock together! They are always asked what and how should be done. even if they aren't, they would voluntarily do! They have seen more Weddings & the Rituals than the Marriage Officiant ( see the Meaning on Wikipedia).

But the Wedding is not just those couple of days of get together! It starts from the day it is announced! Based on what Role you have to play at the wedding, your Clock ticks! For example, if you are the Immediate Bride or Groom Family, your clock would cover the events like, Venue Booking, Food & Decoration Arrangements, Lodging Facilities for the Extended Family and Friends who would be coming, Selecting the Wedding Card and then sending the invitations which could vary from the next Door to oceans away! SHOPPING and Shopping & Shopping; Clothes, Gifts, Jewelry  - Never ending! And not to Forget - the Courtship period of the Couple! planning of the Honeymoon Destination!

It's all Like a Movie in making! All for Wedding Video and Photo Album! All for the Human civilization to Exist & Continue! I attended a cousin's Wedding a fortnight back and would attend another in the coming Month! When are you? 

In Love with Festivals

When do you plan to take a week off from work? Anytime next week? Next month? Next quarter? Or, wait! Let's see the calendar. Yes! Next month I see a few dates, consecutively colored red. Ooh! But I might just miss to attend my cousin's marriage as I might not be left with additional leaves for this Quarter.

                                                                                       

Most of us who have now been used to tackle these situations easily, would still agree that we do have to compromise on some events to make it to the other! OR, compromise our work to make sure you attend all of them! Yes! This time I am talking about our relationships with these Religious & Social Festivals!

Of course, our family, relatives & friends are the sole reason why we love these festivals, but the way we have been brought up we have gradually placed these events on priority than the people behind them. Look at your last one year! Diwali, EiD, Guruparb, Easter, Birthdays and Anniversaries of your loved ones! Haven’t you tried meeting them, or planned your holiday just on or around these specific dates?

I believe festivals were planned by our ancestors, to make sure where ever we were, whatever would keep us busy, we would make some time for our loved ones, to gather and not just celebrate the festival, but celebrate the gathering itself.

Consider a thought of why do you celebrate your birthday? Importance is that you were born, and not how many years you are counting! Consider another thought of lighting a Candle/Diya on Diwali all alone in your room. No one to share the sweets you bought! And now consider another thought of you are with your full family - siblings, cousins, parents, in-laws, close friends; at not necessarily an exotic place, but just at your home - No birthdays, no anniversaries, no festivals! Just a cup of tea/coffee in each hand, and a few snacks on the plates. Did the mere thought of a day like this move you?

People across the globe are in deep relations with these festive days. These Festivals, across the calendar, year and again, have been an inevitable part of our lives. We have grown, lived and got old with them. It’s a fantastic way of the Society to make sure we stay connected. Every action or a plan, directly or not, is either based around or for these events. But I still believe that it does not give us an excuse to wait for The Date to be with our loved ones!

The ticket booking portal is just a click away! Book yours now! 

And wish you all a very Happy Independence Day !

Love and Relations Blog