A celebration in a family gives pleasure to all the Members of the family. Friends and relatives also attend the occasion and share the pleasure. Pleasure multiplies when there is a wedding in the family. I drew immense pleasure when the marriage ceremony of my cousin was held.
My cousin was the second child to be married in the family. Preparations for the marriage started one month before the celebration. My parents and my uncle and aunt spent a whole week making necessary purchases. Many kinds of gold ornaments were bought for my cousin. Several clothes were also purchased for all the family members and relatives. The whole house was renovated. Our house was decorated like a bride.
There was a great excitement and joy among us to see the preparations for the wedding celebration in our family. Decorations were made on the day before the marriage ceremony. We had a haldi ceremony in which we apply haldi on the bride's face. Every family member has to apply the haldi on the bride's face. It was fun doing all this. We dance for the whole night it was like completely insane. We gone mad. But it was so much fun.
The feast on the date of marriage was very delicious. My parents were very busy. My aunt and uncle were also terribly engaged in different works. Our relatives were making our house a noisy place. The ladies were busy with religious ceremonies. Kids and teens were busy in dancing. We were up for the whole night.
My father and uncle stood at the gate to receive the guests. First, the guests were served sweets and cold drinks. Many guests had brought different gifts for my cousin who was the bride. The marriage party members were very gentle.
The marriage ceremony was held after the reception. The priest chanted sholkas from the Vedas. Many senior members including my parents and the parents of the groom were present at the time of the holy marriage on the shrine. The bride and the groom exchanged garlands and sacredly accepted each other as the partner of life by taking seven ritual of walking round the sacred fire.
We cried when my cousin parted with us and went to her new house to start a new chapter of her life.