Bride and Prejudice

Perhaps I should give a try to arranged marriages... It seems to work*. Yet, it is true that the second day of the wedding, during the second function, where the groom finally met the bride, no look had been given, no smile, they remain as marble stones. Yet, the 4th day, they seemed much more relaxed, and even smiled to one another (which is usually not the case, when the groom is on his white horse - another tradition- during the parade, he generally looks very angry, or perhaps it is due to the thoughts flashing in his mind about how to handle a girl...). So yesterday, was the big day, when we are all dancing in the streets. Those Indians are crazy dancers! It was a lot of fun. The reception too, where all the guests could admire a yellow and a white girl dressed with their splendid sarees ;). Around midnight, another rite took place, with prays and sacrifices to Ganesh.

An unique experience indeed. I don't regret my overstay here in Jodhpur with Nisha and Vinod. I love you and will miss you. And will miss my little Naresh, the 11 years old Nepalese boy working at the guesthouse (I've lost all my values - child labor and co - in India...), and his husband's crisis towards me when I dirtied the floor, came back late from the wedding party, did not hurry up enough to answer the phone. But in reward, the look glanced at me when I appeared in my saree was good enough to break my heart.

* On the contrary, love marriages are hidden in India and are not well considered. With arranged weddings, the bride is chosen by the boy's father and she is kind of sold to his family. Since expectations towards the counterpart are lower (or even unexistant), marriages here last at least. And complicity and affection can emerge. I see everyday for 8 days now the perfect example with Nisha and Vinod.