Oh what a night!!!! Oh what a party!!!!

 After breakfast we donned our Indian gear, Sherry in a long dress over pants with a dupatta and me in a kurta over pajama pants, and went to Ashok’s village.

Sapna came over and spent sometime chatting with us and invited Sherry to go to her house later in the morning and have henna applied to her lower arms and hand – it was intriguing watching a young lad create the design as he went with a very steady hand. Then came the 90 minute or so wait for it to dry before washing thoroughly to remove the surface paste leaving the “tattoo”.

 

                    One of Sherry’s arms before the henna has dried and been washed

The afternoon was spent visiting other villagers- firstly Ashok’s woman friend and her friends. In the house opposite hers the food preparations for the wedding tomorrow were taking place, the chefs being a hired team, while men from the village were on hand to address any problem filling in their time playing the Indian version of rummy.

 A short walk away Raj resides and we headed there but he was out in his field so we continued over to met him. His field is a very short distance from the Haryana Rajasthan border. A chat by the field before calling in to Raj’s extended family home where we met a group of female members of his wider family.

 

Then it was back to Raj’s home for another group chat. 

Returning to Ashok’s place we passed the mobile disco truck setting up in front of Sapna’s home for the sangeet being the woman’s dance the night before the wedding.

 

We together with Ashok, a friend and 2 other men, who were said to be Ashok’s “cousin’s brother” a very common term when introduced to someone – “he’s my cousin’s brother”, sat around sharing a bottle of whisky, I gave it away after 3 glasses, while Gita prepared a meal.

 By now the music from the disco truck was being played- very catchy Indian tunes with the decibel level being at the extreme end of any scale, so much so that my watch frequently gave a warning that the “Sound is at a dangerous level”. Behind the truck the women were dancing and of course not long after we arrived Sherry was “pulled” into the circle to dance.

 

The rhythm and moves that these women exhibit makes a lovely colourful sight, they being attired in some superb Indian garments.

 

The disco then moves about 50m and dancing continues at this new location until it moves on again with the women moving along as well until it has gone all the way around the extremity of the village arriving back at its starting point – the whole circuit wasn’t completed until  around 12.30

 

Ashok and his 2 cousins brothers didn’t join the group until the dancing had moved someway along the circuit and it soon became obvious why – they had being finishing the bottle of whisky and perhaps another one or two as Ashok was well on the way to being plastered – he was late to marriage and during that unmarried time he was effectively Sapna’s godfather (or the Indian equivalent) so this was “his night” as well and he was going to enjoy it!

 

The loudness of the music was deafening and even now, the next morning, my ears are still ringing and one can only wonder what it has done to the collective hearing of the villagers who have to endure it everytime there is wedding.

 

Today is the wedding day so we look forward to what that brings with some degree of trepidation as have already been told that I will be wearing a turban! Sherry will be wearing her new saree for the first and possibly last time. One thing for sure is that it will be another experience to treasure

Raj

With some villagers

With Sapna

Sucking the hookah