A Friend’s Wedding Ceremony — ICSE Descriptive Narrative Essay

“Marriages are made in heaven,” so it is said, but they are solemnised here on earth. It is an occasion that comes once in a lifetime and therefore celebrated with great pomp and show all over the world. In our country it is a very solemn and pious occasion, accompanied with numerous customs and rituals, which make it more exciting and memorable. The wonderful mix of religious rituals, blended with modernity earn the admiration of even foreigners.

Last month my friend Sita, who lived in the neighbourhood was married to her fiancée, a software engineer in the States. Since I was her best friend, I was assigned the responsibility of looking after the bride and chaperoning her at the wedding. On the appointed day there was hectic activity beginning with the Haldi ceremony, wherein Vermilion was applied on the bride. This was followed by ladies’ sangeet. I applied mehndi on her hands, and with a lot of merrymaking, the mehandi ceremony was over. After lunch, we went to the market to collect her bridal wear, which had been given for some last minute alteration. Thereafter, we proceeded to the bridal beauty parlour. Emerging from the parlour Sita looked extremely beautiful, like the heroines in films.

Since it was getting late, we rushed home to find the family members anxiously waiting for us. The barat was on its way and I could hear the drum beats. I rushed to see the barat as it approached the gate. The bridegroom was astride on a horse bedecked with flowers. His tall figure with a golden sehra on his head, made him look like the proverbial prince. There was the ‘Dwar Puja’ at the gate, followed by religious ceremonies performed by the pundit. Thereafter the groom was escorted to the dais, where he was seated on a flower bedecked throne. I escorted the bride to the dais, amidst showering of rose petals by friends and relatives. This was followed by the ‘Jai Mala’, where they exchanged garlands. With crackers bursting in the background, people started dancing and greeting each other with joy. This gaiety was so infectious, that I also found myself dancing in gay abandon.

After dinner the guests departed and the actual wedding ceremony commenced. In the mandap the pundit lit the sacred fire, amidst chanting of mantras. The bridegroom and the bride walked around the sacred fire, making solemn promises to each other. By the time this was over, it was well past midnight. I returned home wishing my dear friend a very happy and successful married life.