B'loreans love their weddings

As the wedding season starts in the city, the Bangalore Press calendars hanging on the walls of the city's homes begin to have their dates circled. More often than not, there is more than one wedding on a single day and the invited households begin to brainstorm on whether to attend the morning ceremony (breakfast included), lunch or reception. After some guess work on the guest list, a decision is made on whether to avoid or attend the morning event or the evening get together. If the wedding is on a working day, the decision is generally based on convenience or Bangalore's notorious weather. However, it's the menu that's the overriding factor on most occasions. One would then have to decide on the idlis or upma and piping hot coffee for breakfast or a multi-course spread for lunch or bisibele bath and curd rice for the reception buffet .

Wedding invites are either made personally or pop up in the mail boxes. The contents of the cards are carefully noted. The lunch and dinner timings are marked, the map and bus routes studied and accordingly leave applications are forwarded to the bosses. Though some cards mention that presents must be avoided, carrying a gift is a must on such occasions. Generally, the wedding couple is paid back in the same coin, meaning, depending on what gift the couple's family had given during the invitees' wedding, a gift is bought accordingly. Those unable to make a decision, generally insert a currency note and a `1 coin and hand it over to the couple with "best wishes".

The womenfolk, of course, have to make another decision. On what sari and jewellery to wear. On the big day, they're off, all decked up with gift wrapped presents in one hand and the invite in the other, referring to the map now and then.

On arrival at the venue, after the customary greetings and courtesies, one takes the queue to the wedding altar to hand over the gift, with one eye on the other queue to the dining hall.

With the formalities done, it's over to the dining table, waiting in front of the bare plantain leaf. Gradually, the empty spaces on the leaf begin to get occupied by mounds of delicacies of varying sizes. As the servers walk along the row of leaves dropping off dishes, the diners who first accept the offerings gladly, by and by go slow as the belt begins to feel tight. As the server arrives with the next dish, the diner's indecision is obvious as his left hand tells the server he's had enough but his right hand clears the leaf for him to serve his favourite puliyogare. The right hand generally wins and as the last course consumed the guest finally lifts himself from the seat with much effort.

The purpose served, it's final goodbyes with smiles on the red paan stained lips, and the carry bag containing the customary coconut and beetle leaves replacing the wedding gift in the hand.

vijaysimha@newindianexpress.com