Wedding Crashers - Bin bulaaye baraati.

One of the most well defined tradition of Indian society is "mehmaan - namaazi" which means paying guests. But what if those "mehmaans" (guests) are "bin bulaaye baarati" (uninvited wedding guests)? Indian weddings have their own aura of huge celebrations, free food (not logically) and complimentary drinks. It's a get together of family elders, cousin brothers, uncle, aunties, people of every age groups mostly. Especially the north-Indian weddings are a festival in themselves. Waiters wandering around with snacks in their trays, kids craving for ice cream or "Gol gappas" mostly, teenagers rocking the dance floor, uncle and aunties waiting for those shy invitations on dance floors, while people like us (writer and his friend) waiting for "Dhakkan open ceremony" ( waiting for stalls to start serving). Winters in Jammu are always nostalgic for me when it come to weddings. The sound of "Shehnai" (clarinet) is enough to alarm our mind that it's time to have a wedding get up. 

This is a wedding we crashed in December 2019. These drinks in our hand are enough to have a discussion of "who is going to drive?". The complimentary drinks and Sukhvir's "Ishq tera tadpave" (your love tortures me) are enough to forget everything and remember your first love mostly (sometimes second too).  The only fear gazing at us while having unlimited drinks is the fear of getting caught. 

I remember an incident when my companion started crying after having three vodka shots. He started discussing about life and all which was not a big issue for me at that moment. I had more important assignments to look after like having non veg for dinner or veg, American salad or London cuisine.

 

This is another wedding we crashed in winter 2020. We met with an amazing American. Kevin has spent most of his early 40s in India. Away from his family and people. While having a conversation with him on a dinner table we came to know about his love and fascination for Indian culture. He is so much inspired by Indian weddings that he wants his daughter Claire wedding in Indian style. Before this he had been to so many destination weddings in Udaipur and Jaisalmer. We inquired him about many American shows and pop music upon which he advised both of us to go Mumbai.

We took it as a compliment that time (may be due to 60 ml of Black label inside us). Indian weddings always have been a fun for me and sometimes they also have taught me so much Indian values like the importance of relationships, happiness is when it is shared (one of my favourites quotes from the movie "Into the wild"), you don't need to have a good dancer for rocking stage, drinks are not an escape from the reality and last but not the least nobody cares much about your existence.There are numerous weddings I have crashed upon which I can write if you think I should. While I was writing all this I could hear the sounds of drums and flute in my soul. Writing makes everything so alive. (Me to myself)

Regards.