Nepal Wedding - Page 2 |
During the ceremonies were several long brakes during which we were invited to eat with the men. We felt flattered, because we observed that men and women socialized separately. Nepal is fertile ground for women's lib, but all the men we met were very kind and charming and their women cheerful and laughed a lot more freely than US women do. Yet, as a German American independent woman I just could not stop myself from noticing a few things. Billi and I were free to roam Rojina's parents home, talk with all the family members or mingle with the guests outside. We were amazed how many Nepalese, including the children, speak very good English. We felt right at home with family and friends of the beautiful young couple. |
Happy Suresh and his friends during a break |
In the next room the ladies were snacking |
The ladies were all beautiful. In the back the canvas panels which they used to section off the party grounds. |
Relatives - Mom and son |
Wedding band leading us back to Suresh's parents house |
Two more ceremonies awaited us at the house: The first was at the front door of the house where Suresh's grandmother, the oldest member of the household, greeted Rojina at the door. For this occasion two large identical panels had been painted on each side of the door, with a parrot, an eye and a vase with flowers. The meaning of these symbols are that the bride has to learn to speak like a parrot, has to have an eye for learning new things and the flowers are for welcome. During the second ceremony Rojina was lead to a room and was introduced to all members of the household. Before the wedding Rojina had never visited Suresh's home. |
Mrs. Nakarmi, Suresh's lovely mom, is waiting to meet and greet her new daughter-in-law. Behind her to the right is Suresh's adorable sister Sarika. |
Below - Ceremony in front of the home, the greeting panels are beside the door. The entire outside of the house is covered with strings of colored lights (Rojina's house too had the lights) another wedding custom. |
Hari, Sureh's wonderful Dad and his brother |
Back at Suresh's home his mother and other women of his family were waiting. A tent was set up in the yard and they were ready to continue feeding the guests. I believe they had prepared food for 3 days of festivities and when the strike cut the wedding short, all the guests had to eat for all 3 days of food in one. |
All ceremonies usually consist of prayers, pulling apart flowers, burning incense, pouring or splashing holy water, putting flower petals on the blessed, and giving away good luck bethel nuts. Everyone usually sits on white mats on the floor. On all occasions one of the older ladies of the household puts a red paste on everybodies forehead for good luck which is called a "tika", which falls off as soon as it dries. |
Here is the welcome ceremony, Rojina greets her new family and receives - bethel nuts |
Bethel Nuts They are hard as a rock and are chopped into little pieces. In order to eat them you have to keep them in your mouth for one hour, then you may be able to chew on them. They taste awful and have no nutritional value, but they bring luck. |
Dear Suresh and Rojina, We had an unforgetable wonderful time with you and your families. We will love you forever. Thanks for making us part of your family. Love Astrid and Billi |
We left Suresh's house at 5 pm to go to our hotel and change clothes for the evening reception held by Suresh's family at a downtown Kathmandu rooftop catering place called "Wonderland". 800 people were invited, about 1,000 showed. Half of them were Suresh's relatives. Rojina's family and friends were not invited. The families celebrate separately. Beer, Whiskey and Soda were served, appetizers were passed around constantly, a huge buffet was set up and loud disco music was playing. But nobody was dancing! Poor Rojina sat all night demurely on a with flowers decorated platform covered by a banner saying "Happy Wedding" and received visitors and presents and handed out - "bethel nuts!" We took movies of the whole scene, including the buffet, and when we looked at them at home in the US, I noticed that all dishes had English tags in front of them describing the dishes. I had not noticed this before and was very touched. We were the only foreigners at the wedding! |
Billi, Suresh, Rojina and I at the reception on Rojina's couch. The reception lasted from 6 pm to 10 pm and plenty of food was served. |
The shot we had been waiting for, we finally got it at the airport. |
Pictures of Nepal |
