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Published: October 26th 2010
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The second day of our wedding was a very busy and exciting day. In Nepali culture, man and wife don’t live together before they get married. After the marriage, the wife will be living in the family of the man. So during the wedding celebration, the man comes to the house of the woman to get her and bring her to his own house. This was what happened on october 18th. In the morning all family and friends gathered at Gyanendra’s house, while Zoe was in the house of Gyanendra’s sister (for a few hours ‘Zoe’s house’), waiting for Gyanendra. They came in a parade, Gyanendra in a nice car and the others walking, joined by a music band. Zoe heard them from far away, but wasn’t allowed to look through the window, so curiosity was growing! Zoe’s parents (in this case mother and stepfather) had to go downstairs and welcome Gyanendra. He went to another room, where Zoe could finally join him. Some puja (worshipping) was taking place and after that, Gyanendra left again to another room. Time for Zoe now to say goodbye to her family (as she is supposed to leave the house from this day). This happens
by everybody individually coming to Zoe, kneeling, receiving some special nuts and giving some money. Even 1 tourist sneaked in, and did the same. Zoe thought it was one of Eline’s friends, but later on it was clear that it was just somebody who followed the parade, feeling uncomfortable after realizing what was really happening! Zoe was supposed to cry during this ceremony, but she didn’t make it to be a real nepali, and was only smiling… After this, Gyanendra came back and some more puja was taking place. Then everybody could go to a neighboring school where they could eat Samya Baji (again the typical Newari food). We stayed inside the house and had some food over there. After the last puja, we were brought outside. Zoe’s mother holding Zoe’s hand and Zoe’s stepfather holding Gyanendra’s hand. At this moment, it was time for Gyanendra to bargain with his niece to get his shoes back (you don’t enter the nepali houses with shoes, and during wedding ceremonies like this, kids (normally of the girls family) hide the shoes of the groom and ask for money before they give them back). He paid some money and got his shoes… Our
car was waiting in front of the door, but before we could go in, we had to make 3 rounds around the car. After that, we left in a parade to Gyanendra's house, the band in front of us, the whole crowd at the back. But during the parade people came in front to dance. So several times the parade was standing still and people were dancing in front. First only the Nepali people, but soon the European people joined them. When we arrived at home, we went inside and the crowd kept on dancing in the middle of the street.
Now it was time for the party in Hotel Sweet Home. Our European guests took a bus and were dropped at the gate on Durbar square. From their a cultural dance program started, so they were joined by dancers with candle lights for the lasts steps to the party place. Over there, everybody enjoyed the dance program, which was followed by the dinner and a nice performance of Zoe' mother and stepfather, ending with the special song they already sung the day before. Most of the people went home now, but some stayed when the DJ started playing music,
dancing a lot. Around half past 11, the party was finished and we went home on the motorbike (not very easy wearing a sari...).
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renate
non-member comment
he wat een leuk verhaal! echt heel anders dan bij ons, wel waardevol om dat mee te mogen maken. En mooie foto's van iedereen! groetjes Renate