TiMEZONE 7 - NEPAL

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Neela's Wedding

February 10, 1999

When we went to see our computer shop buddies we found them to be full of surprises. Not only had they opened a newer and nicer shop, but they had also lowered their rates. We also got the happy (but for some, heart breaking) news that Neela, the computer girl, was getting married. She was very upset that we had missed her party but she invited us to come to the wedding, which was to be three days later. We, of course, happily accepted.

We were lucky to get to experience a Nepali Wedding. Neela was dressed in a beautiful bright red sari with intricate gold stitching. Bobby, her husband to be, wore a fine double-breasted navy colored suit. Unlike the traditional American wedding, a small fire pit was set up in the middle of the courtyard of an ancient temple and served as the main alter. About 50 chairs were set up facing the fire. Large tapestries served as screens to separate the ceremony from the cooking area on one side, and another wedding on the other. Neela's father, an Army Major, had commandeered the Nepali Army Band who played traditional drum and horn wedding music but, oddly, between numbers a techno- house music cassette was played. During the seven hour ceremony 2 delicious meals were served and the guests chatted, laughed, smoked cigarettes and came and went from the temple. All of this continued on as a holy man changed and directed the bride, groom and various family members through a ritual that had seemingly hundreds of tika pastings and holy water sprinklings. There was even a moment where family would pour water over the couples feet and then drink it! After lunch was served, Neelas's father handed out envelopes of money to every member of Bobby’s family. in the end, Neela sobbed as she was paraded behind the band to be given, literally, away. They got into a car that had been decorated with streamers and drove to Bobby's (and now Neela’s) family home.