Day 7: Wedding Day #1

The morning dawned earlier than we would have liked, with the rumble of shifting furniture on the terrace outside our door. This was the sound of Bishakha's many aunties getting ready for the many rituals that preface day one of the three-day ceremonial package. The morning was spent with the priest running up and down the stairs, Bishakha's aunts preparing the ceremonial plates (rice, fried rice doughnuts, etc.). At one point, I was blessed with a tika from the priest - he pressed the colors on my forehead, I respectfully thanked him, and then Bishakha shoved me some money to give him in return. Otherwise, the morning was more or less a blur. (Although I do remember mentioning I wanted pancakes - the cooks said they were out of baking powder/soda (whichever pancakes require when you break the mold and don't just use Bisquick), but then managed to make some pretty decent pancakes all the same!)

After lunch, I was summoned into the living room with Bonu and Bhothu, and we were again given tikas, this time by Bishakha. We were being sent to Sandeep's home, to present him with a wedding invitation and gifts. The invitation was an engraved silver plaque, and the gifts were mainly foods and sweets. Laden with trays, we climb into the cars and drive the five minutes or so to Sandeep's grandmother's home, where he currently lives.

The house is full of Sandeep's relatives, and we're ushered into the sitting room, where we present our trays and are tika'd yet again, this time by Sandeep. After a few awkward moments sitting around, noting the smell of feet (all 25ish of us removed our shoes when we entered the house), most of the guests left the room to get on with their various wedding preparations. After a conversation with Mr. Kunwar (Sandeep's father), an optometrist, about cataracts, we escaped up to Sandeep's room for some tea and conversation before being sent back to the Khadka home. As we left the house, Sandeep whispered, "Tell her I miss her!"

After the delivery of the invitation, the bride- and groom-to-be aren't supposed to see each other until festivities begin the next day. However, Bishakha and Sandeep refused to uphold that tradition, and we sneaked out to run some last-minute errands together. We picked up Sandeep's wedding clothes, a pair of slippers for me, and then on the way back to the house picked up some pane puri for dinner, leaving Sandeep back at his home.

Tommorrow, Bishakha gets married!!!!