<div style=' background:#FFFFFF;color:#000000;font-size:15px;font-family:Verdana;width:auto;padding:5px;max-height:100%;'><span><p>Indian weddings. Two words that hold a world of breathtaking attires, gorgeous jewelry, a<br>rousing of colorful decorations, exotic fragrances and of course our world-renowned song and<br>dance gala!<br>Indian weddings are, no doubt, a lavish affair with the guest list often exceeding 500 invitees,<br>not including family and relatives. There is a lot of detailing that goes into this gigantic event<br>and once the preparations start, everyone gets caught up in the fervor…. even neighbors get<br>pulled into the excitement and it’s not uncommon for them to offer their homes, vehicles and<br>other valuable resources for the event.<br>On the wedding day the enormity of the occasion takes on bigger proportions. There are<br>numerous rituals and traditions observed from the bride’s and the groom’s side. What was<br>once seen only in movies, now is part of every bride’s and groom’s list…like mehendi, baraat,<br>sangeet, gourmet dining and exquisite return gifts ..and not to forget exotic wedding<br>destinations. There is something for everyone to look forward to in an Indian wedding.<br>As in most wedding traditions, the father plays an important role in ‘giving’ his daughter to the<br>son-in-law. Sacred mantras, chants or vows are recited by the father and the groom, with the<br>groom accepting the bride as his faithful companion to be loved and respected in this marital<br>journey. This solemn moment is showered with blessings and many symbolic practices are<br>observed. These moments are remembered and etched in memories and photographs, to be<br>revisited many times in the years to come.<br>There is one little rite in all Indian traditional weddings that comes at the near end of the event:<br>the bridal farewell! I say ‘near end’ because it’s the concluding ceremony and symbolically<br>signifies the last milestone for the bride in her parental home setting off the beginning of the<br>next turning point in her life. This tradition is called by various names in India- Vidaai, Bidaai,<br>Appaginthalu, Sammandi Maryadai, Ruksati and perhaps more names in other parts of the<br>country.<br>Unlike the days prior to the event, this concluding ceremony is shorn of any indulgence or<br>preparation, or photo shoots and lasts for only an hour or two. However, this hour-long event<br>plays a significant role in cementing the relationship between the two families.<br>It’s an emotionally charged situation for the bride, her parents, and her near and dear ones;<br>sometimes, special songs are sung that celebrate the girl’s journey from her childhood days in<br>her parental home to her onward journey. Every woman present is misty eyed as she<br>remembers her parting moment from her parental home.<br>The father of the bride is the one most wrought with anxiety and apprehension as he walks his<br>daughter to her new family; however, he has to stand strong and balanced as his role as a<br></p><span></div><div style=' background:#FFFFFF;color:#000000;font-size:15px;font-family:Verdana;width:auto;padding:5px;max-height:100%;'><span><p>father, guide, protector to his little girl, reaches this culmination point. His heart is a weighty<br>blend of pain, joy and hope; it’s an odd melding of pride, sadness and worry for his daughter’s<br>happiness in a new house amongst unfamiliar people to whom she now belongs.<br>Contrary to popular belief, the father does not ‘give away’ his daughter to her new family.<br>Rather, sacred chants are read by the father, which is an oath taken by the husband and his<br>family that they will individually and collectively take care, love and respect the bride, each<br>vowing to guide her in her marital journey with patience and compassion.<br>In olden days when India was predominantly an agricultural society, when a girl left home as a<br>young bride, this ceremony was not just between two families, but between two villages. And<br>as she prepared to leave for her new home, the entire village would come to see her off<br>uncertain of when they would see her again. Sometimes, that would indeed be the case, when<br>unfortunate events would end it all for the bride.<br>These are modern times when girls are leaving home for education, careers, vacations with<br>friends and for many other reasons. They are emotionally strong, financially secure and<br>psychologically matured when they enter into matrimony. Yet, when this moment of bidding<br>adieu arrives, it stirs up intense emotional feelings of nostalgia as feelings of separation from<br>her loved ones engulfs her.<br>It is also the moment when the ‘now bride’ embarks on a journey of a lifetime as a wife,<br>daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, parent, guide and mentor. As she crosses one threshold and<br>enters the other, she flows with gratitude, happiness and best wishes for everyone!<br>This is one helluva emotional roller coaster ride which will remain so, no matter the times we<br>live in or for times to come. The “moment of truth” of crossing over the next phase in life will<br>always bring in these charged moments.<br>I hope this article has triggered your memories of your own wedding day and what better way<br>than to watch our good ol’ Bollywood deliver some of those Vidaii melodies that pull at your<br>heartstrings.<br></p><span></div>