Indian wedding ceremonies today: fusion of
tradition and modernity
As time moves, there will be significant changes in
material and cognitive culture. Changes in accordance to time bring in new
dimensions to life and culture. The features of evolvement as a generational symbolical
shift, growth and innovation are unavoidable and essential. We have been into
21st century now. Shifting from 20th to 21st
century is like stepping into a surrealistic world, with cutting edge
technology innovation. Technology has shrunk time and space, speeding up things unprecedentedly.
After globalization, affected by the closeness, the world culture is reshaping
in a new way. To compete or to accommodate to the changing
times becomes very challenging for our generation as everything moved very
slowly during our times.
Last few years were hectic. There was a series of
marriages in the close families and among the friends. All boys and girls, whom
we had seen playing with soft toys yesterday, have now grown suddenly into
beautiful and handsome adults. How time had shifted, we did not realize. There
was joy and exuberance in the air as the marriages got fixed and arrangements
began. Elders in the family used to have meetings to discuss the details of the
marriage ceremonies. As the arrangements were being made, my mind was racing on
a different line --a comparison between yesterday and present day marriages.
The marriage ceremonies have evolved very elegantly but differently in recent
years, fusing tradition and modernity,
the north and south Indian marriage ceremonial elements, and making it more
participatory, enjoyable, and spectacular for everyone in the family and
friends. In south India, marriage ceremonies earlier were very simple minus any
pomp, with limited instrumental music [
Mainly Shahanayi] highlighting the main events during the
marriage ceremony. There were couple of Hindi film songs from Rajesh Khanna’s
film which were suitable for the occasion and the songs would be played in
every marriage.
Indian weddings have been shaped aesthetically these
days. May be globalization, free market,
consumerism and economic growth – all have contributed to this element. There
is a remarkable shift in marriages from religious and sacred rites to
multi—layered experience. Now, experience becoming central, weddings have
become more elaborative, participatory, and enjoyable, entailing pre-wedding
photo- shoot, Mehandi, sangeet and reception.
Pre- wedding photo-shoot, a common feature
nowadays, is usually shot at an idyllic location, in elegant costumes which
reflect the filmy taste and trends. The person behind the lens also directs the
young couple to pose in filmy romantic ways, as a film director. Titanic film’s
signature pose is a must in every pre- wedding shoot along with other famous
Bollywood film poses. The whole narrative is constructed to create personal
identity of the couple and to provide scope for the couple to know each other
better and much before the final ceremony.
The marriage was taking place. I was among the audience.
Two large scale digital screens were mounted on either side of the
dais, and the previously done photo-shoot was going on the screens
uninterrupted. My eyes were switching between the screens, simultaneously
following tunes of the latest regional film songs which matched the flow of
shoot. I thought life is certainly oscillating between film and reality. Earlier
the influence of films reflected only in fashioning clothes, hair styles and
mannerisms. But now it is evolved and elevated to performance.
Mehandi and Sangeet ceremonies too have become regular
features in south India, a new trend passed on from north India. I think this
fusion is good because earlier there was no music, no song, and no dance in the
marriage ceremonies. The collective dancing and singing during mehandi and
sangeet ceremonies have added beauty and elegance to the ceremony. It is really enjoyable and cathartic. Even the
Baarat has become more colorful with music and dancing. Singing and dancing
have blended into these wedding ceremonies seamlessly, generating lot of
exuberance and providing scope and space for emoting.
Considering the fashion in weddings, Bollywood, kolliwood,
and sandalwood – all seem to have confluenced. International film trends also
are blended seamlessly to get a distinct spectacle. Nowadays,it is all pastiche—be
it fashon, music or food. Every girl presents herself as a film star.
Flowing embellished gowns, handcrafted blouses, heavy jewellry, and shiny eye
liners, the smell of saints, everything looke surreal. Glitz and glamour all
around .An array of photographers flashing lights continuously blocked the view
of the center stage. A half –dozen drones were hovering overhead. The whole
ceremony, I felt, was like a film -- gap between film and life zeroing on.
Now,
food curating has a precedence and prominence in all weddings. Global cuisines and local Chaats are blended
to cater to hosts of all stratas. Global cuisines reflect modern, sophisticated
cosmopolitan look, whereas Chaats, reflecting regional identities, give a
rootedness and emotional connectivity. Food has its own language and identity. A fine blend of south, north, east and west
cuisines has been normalized in the weddings, embellished with an array of
global cuisines. A flow of Chaats like
Pani-Puri,Pakoda etc is must during the
mehandi programme. A special attention is required in arranging the Chaats as
young and old enjoy it. Ultimately, it
is food that makes the weddings successful and memorable.
Destination
weddings have become common now. People are choosing hotels,resorts and palaces
for the destination wedding.Under Event
management-- everything gets arranged –printing,publicity,photography, accommodation,
transportation, food, security and many more. Only thing is one must be ready
to shell out the money. Destination marriages provide a space for relatives and
guests to know one another leisurely as they are staying together in one place without
any disturbances. Secondly, as they closely celebrate the event together, it
leads to a collective memory. Life experiences, lived
experiences matter a lot these days
This is only a brief account of Indian wedding
ceremonies. This evolving shows how and to what extent globalization has
influenced directly and indirectly, each and every nook of the world. If anyone
like to view an Indian wedding ceremony, one can go through these movies listed
below:
1. Monsoon Wedding. Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani 3.2states 4.Hum Apke Hai Koun
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