CONVIVIALITY
Have you attended an Indian wedding ?
Even if you have,the way the wedding is celebrated is not the same for all weddings, as India is a land of innumerable communities. Each community has its own manner of celebration . A common thread which runs through all the weddings is the exuberance of all , the hosts and the guests. Though lots of religious ceremonies take place, wedding is never a solemn occasion . It is more like a carnival . Weddings unite not only the families of the bride and bridegroom,but several families. The bond of kinship is very strong. When you are invited for a wedding , you should make it a point to attend . After all, wedding comes once in a lifetime of a person , and how can one ignore it ? The presence of friends and relatives is important . Marriage is not a secret affair. Though you may think , that it concerns only two individuals , in India , it concerns many more. Elaborate rituals are followed from time immemorial . Tradition has tremendous values. Time-honored customs are not to be trifled with. Wedding is an occasion when large number of families and friends come together. One meets another after a lapse of , say , thirty years , another forty years and so on. Moment of great excitement ! Recently I was thrilled to meet an old lady who told me that my father is her maternal cousin ! It was a great joy , just to meet someone like that. She tells you all happenings of yesteryears. If you have a keen taste for history , you are hooked. When you meet a classmate of yours after twenty years , it is as though , you are going through another life . You revisit the past which comes before you fleetingly like the reels of a movie . Reminiscing over bygone days , you do time travel. A great sense of happiness and mirth pervades the entire atmosphere . You forget all petty quarrels and fights which you had with your classmate. You embrace very warmly even your relative who never repaid a loan taken from you . There is no room for pettiness and enmity. A smile on every lip. Sight of the kids playing together oblivious of difference in status of their parents is wonderful . For sometime, you completely ignore your doctor's advice and indulge in eating and drinking . You console yourself saying , nothing happens when I violate my diet regimen for a day or two. Everyone is talking with somebody or other. You find groups of people indulging in fun and frolic. Time for lighter moments ! Cutting jokes on others and oneself ! No malice at all . Time to forget all worries and tensions. Time to wish not only the couple to be married but all others also. You also update yourself with all the happenings in the lives of your kith and kin whom you meet once in a blue moon. Many other marriages are made here before they are approved in Heaven. Parents would be looking for prospective brides and bridegrooms for their children . Young people also get an opportunity to meet others . Why do I say all this ?
Recently , during a wedding , a beautiful word , " CONVIVIALITY " , occurred in my thought. And the wedding atmosphere is a perfect example of conviviality . The etymology of the word is from Latin . Con means with . Vivere means living . Convivialis also means festival. Therefore an Indian wedding is CONVIVIALITY .
Sayee Jayaraman
03/02/2015
Bangalore
Have you attended an Indian wedding ?
Even if you have,the way the wedding is celebrated is not the same for all weddings, as India is a land of innumerable communities. Each community has its own manner of celebration . A common thread which runs through all the weddings is the exuberance of all , the hosts and the guests. Though lots of religious ceremonies take place, wedding is never a solemn occasion . It is more like a carnival . Weddings unite not only the families of the bride and bridegroom,but several families. The bond of kinship is very strong. When you are invited for a wedding , you should make it a point to attend . After all, wedding comes once in a lifetime of a person , and how can one ignore it ? The presence of friends and relatives is important . Marriage is not a secret affair. Though you may think , that it concerns only two individuals , in India , it concerns many more. Elaborate rituals are followed from time immemorial . Tradition has tremendous values. Time-honored customs are not to be trifled with. Wedding is an occasion when large number of families and friends come together. One meets another after a lapse of , say , thirty years , another forty years and so on. Moment of great excitement ! Recently I was thrilled to meet an old lady who told me that my father is her maternal cousin ! It was a great joy , just to meet someone like that. She tells you all happenings of yesteryears. If you have a keen taste for history , you are hooked. When you meet a classmate of yours after twenty years , it is as though , you are going through another life . You revisit the past which comes before you fleetingly like the reels of a movie . Reminiscing over bygone days , you do time travel. A great sense of happiness and mirth pervades the entire atmosphere . You forget all petty quarrels and fights which you had with your classmate. You embrace very warmly even your relative who never repaid a loan taken from you . There is no room for pettiness and enmity. A smile on every lip. Sight of the kids playing together oblivious of difference in status of their parents is wonderful . For sometime, you completely ignore your doctor's advice and indulge in eating and drinking . You console yourself saying , nothing happens when I violate my diet regimen for a day or two. Everyone is talking with somebody or other. You find groups of people indulging in fun and frolic. Time for lighter moments ! Cutting jokes on others and oneself ! No malice at all . Time to forget all worries and tensions. Time to wish not only the couple to be married but all others also. You also update yourself with all the happenings in the lives of your kith and kin whom you meet once in a blue moon. Many other marriages are made here before they are approved in Heaven. Parents would be looking for prospective brides and bridegrooms for their children . Young people also get an opportunity to meet others . Why do I say all this ?
Recently , during a wedding , a beautiful word , " CONVIVIALITY " , occurred in my thought. And the wedding atmosphere is a perfect example of conviviality . The etymology of the word is from Latin . Con means with . Vivere means living . Convivialis also means festival. Therefore an Indian wedding is CONVIVIALITY .
Sayee Jayaraman
03/02/2015
Bangalore
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