Some pics:
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Boys' Side Dhol Night
Dhol is the term Punjabis use for DRUM and in Punjabi weddings, the DRUM, or dhol is a central part of the majority of our music, traditions and festivities. There is absolutely nothing that gets me more excited and gets my blood pumping more than hearing our classic dhol beat going. The boy's side decided to hold an impromptu DHOL night at the boy's side house in Goa at the night of the mehendi which was the night before the wedding. During our little party for just the boy's side, the girl's side was doing the traditional churra (bangle) ceremony for the bride which is an intimate ceremony amongst her important family members. Our dhol night was one of the highlights of the wedding events. It was particularly special to me because it was our family that was there in Goa to celebrate my brother and it was downright pure classic punjabi fun. My cousins, aunts and elders all collected and sat on teh floor and sang every Punjabi wedding song with such ghutspa and literally until our voices were gone. We hired a Dhol wala or a guy who comes with a huge dhol and he came and did the traditional boliyaan which are little fun verses that he shouts out to sing and we all know and sing back to him and the crowd and to each other and then he just blasts that dhol beat, LIVE, and we all just went ballistic dancing. At this point, everyone is so completely exhausted from all the events but attending this and staying up all night for it wasn't even a question. It was an honor and a priority and one of my favorite nights of the trip. I will never forget the memories made, the bonds strengthened and my brother's face when he and his friends came through the door and we highlighted their arrival. OH what a night!
Some pics:
Some pics:
Monday, February 21, 2011
Mehendi Party
The Mehendi party was maybe one of the best events of the wedding extravaganza. My sister in law's rules for attire was - "the brighter the better" and I am so glad everyone followed her instructions because it was a color explosion on a perfect day in beautiful Goa. The decor fit the theme perfectly and was absolutely out of this world.
She looked stunning in a pinky peachy sari and seemed to be having a great time watching on as she sat on a couch adorned by bright pillows getting her Mehendi applied. Henna is another term for mehendi. It is a natural herbal green mix that is placed on the skin and left on to dry for a few hours. After washing it off, there is a temporary red to orange colored staining that has a tattoo effect wherever it was placed. It has been a tradition in Indian weddings for centuries. Traditionally at a mehendi party, the bride gets her mehendi put on her hands and feet. Everyone watches as the designs are typically very ornate and we all stand around and dote on her. Then we all get our turn to get a little bit put on as well. At this party, everyone joined in on the mehendi fun - guys and girls alike! Everyone was just roaming about barefoot, dancing, mingling, drinking, kissing, hugging and henna'ing :)
Devina described this afternoon perfectly - the mehendi party that turned into a RAVE :) We were there for HOURS until the boys' side literally got kicked out of the house for the bride's next bridal ceremony for her bangles to be placed on that night.
In addition to all the merriment, each side from the wedding prepared a dance to entertain the guests. I choreographed the boys' side dance along with my cousin coming in to help me when I started panicking that this wasn't going to come together and then the girls' side had a dance and skit of 20 minutes long choreographed by a professional dancer. We were clearly the underdog but for what we had to work with int he time we had to do it, we held our own and honestly just had a complete BLAST getting together to celebrate the bride and groom. The dance took a loose form of a skit that represented the last 5-10 years of my brother's life from when he worked in NY, dated in NY, to when he moved to India, met Devina, courted Devina to when they get married and then we projected into the future a bit to what their future married life would look like with blessings abound :) Everyone who was up for joining was a part of the dance which ended up including about 20 people or so on each side. My brother's friends did a great job making fun of him through mimicking how he parties and orders food for everyone when we are out down to his little nurances like his catch phrases and facial expressions. It was such a fun ROAST on him and SO much fun. We had a great time watching the girls' side dance and dancing for my brother and putting together our routine with our friends. We laughed so hard til it hurt. Someone afterwards made a comment that Moni's sister didn't just dance up there, but that i danced for my brother and it couldn't be closer to the truth. My face hurt from smiling and I had tears in my eyes just watching him next to his love and just going all out for them. I love them so very much and wish them the best this life has to offer. Ok getting weepy!! At the end of it all, the boy's side and our whole fam and everyone from the girl's side just got up thee and boogied down - for. hours. :)
Here are some snaps!
She looked stunning in a pinky peachy sari and seemed to be having a great time watching on as she sat on a couch adorned by bright pillows getting her Mehendi applied. Henna is another term for mehendi. It is a natural herbal green mix that is placed on the skin and left on to dry for a few hours. After washing it off, there is a temporary red to orange colored staining that has a tattoo effect wherever it was placed. It has been a tradition in Indian weddings for centuries. Traditionally at a mehendi party, the bride gets her mehendi put on her hands and feet. Everyone watches as the designs are typically very ornate and we all stand around and dote on her. Then we all get our turn to get a little bit put on as well. At this party, everyone joined in on the mehendi fun - guys and girls alike! Everyone was just roaming about barefoot, dancing, mingling, drinking, kissing, hugging and henna'ing :)
Devina described this afternoon perfectly - the mehendi party that turned into a RAVE :) We were there for HOURS until the boys' side literally got kicked out of the house for the bride's next bridal ceremony for her bangles to be placed on that night.
In addition to all the merriment, each side from the wedding prepared a dance to entertain the guests. I choreographed the boys' side dance along with my cousin coming in to help me when I started panicking that this wasn't going to come together and then the girls' side had a dance and skit of 20 minutes long choreographed by a professional dancer. We were clearly the underdog but for what we had to work with int he time we had to do it, we held our own and honestly just had a complete BLAST getting together to celebrate the bride and groom. The dance took a loose form of a skit that represented the last 5-10 years of my brother's life from when he worked in NY, dated in NY, to when he moved to India, met Devina, courted Devina to when they get married and then we projected into the future a bit to what their future married life would look like with blessings abound :) Everyone who was up for joining was a part of the dance which ended up including about 20 people or so on each side. My brother's friends did a great job making fun of him through mimicking how he parties and orders food for everyone when we are out down to his little nurances like his catch phrases and facial expressions. It was such a fun ROAST on him and SO much fun. We had a great time watching the girls' side dance and dancing for my brother and putting together our routine with our friends. We laughed so hard til it hurt. Someone afterwards made a comment that Moni's sister didn't just dance up there, but that i danced for my brother and it couldn't be closer to the truth. My face hurt from smiling and I had tears in my eyes just watching him next to his love and just going all out for them. I love them so very much and wish them the best this life has to offer. Ok getting weepy!! At the end of it all, the boy's side and our whole fam and everyone from the girl's side just got up thee and boogied down - for. hours. :)
Here are some snaps!
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