The Beauty of the Vows in a Hindu Wedding Ceremony
When we think of the Hindu wedding ceremony, the image that comes to mind is one of endless smoke-laden torture of the bride and groom and the ennui of meeting with an infinite number of forgotten relatives and friends-of-friends. The only fun and meaningful aspect of the wedding appears to be the song and dance with the baraat and sangeet and the opportunity to dress up. In fact, the bride and groom appear to be mere figureheads for what seems to be a function for the family and the community at large. At first sight, it looks so different from a church wedding with its simple elegance and with the most critical moment belonging exclusively to the bride and groom saying their vows. In Muslim marriages, the bride at least gets to say 'qubool hai' (it is acceptable) the Hindu woman never seems to be asked her opinion about the wedding. In actual fact, the Hindu wedding is for the most part, not a religious ceremony but a beautiful conversation between the bride and the groom,