Ghidul 7 - Kanyadaan ceremony

And here we are, with a small delay of 2 weeks cause my friend Zahraa was out of station, with the last ceremony of a traditional Indian wedding, where the bride no longer belongs to her family, but to her husband. The ceremony called Kanyadaan.

An idiot’s guide to an Indian wedding

6. Kanyadaan


The evening of the Nikah (the official marriage ceremony) was the reception. Anywhere from 500 to 2000 guests are invited. It's a strange sight, almost like a circus where everyone is turned up in really sparkly clothes.
Most Indian weddings are outdoors, usually in a lawn or a park. If it's too late, tents are erected. Otherwise, chairs are scattered everywhere. My brother's wedding was in a synagogue.
The bride and the groom are seated on a stage. The guests are expected to go up to them and wish them , instead of the other way around. It's considered auspicious to give the couple money in denomination on Rs 1. For example: they would give and envelope stuffed with Rs 1001 or even Rs 5001.
To keep a track on these envelopes, we had to take turn to be on our "duty". Also there is no specific dinner timing. The dinner opens at 7.30 pm and the guests are expected to eat whenever they are hungry.
The reception dies at about 1 am-after which the couple leaves. The father of the bride now symbolically places her hand into the groom's hand and asks him to take care of her. This last ritual called Kanyadaan, loosely translated means "donating the bride".