I will always miss those crazy colorful days! I wish you a lot of miracles in your way and see you again!
Nepal, Kathmandu, 05.2012
It is about 90% of weddings take place at the initiative of parents in Nepal. Sometimes the young have never seen each other before the wedding. But it was a modern wedding – the guys met and made the choice themselves. They live in Canada 7 years and they have arrived in Kathmandu to make this real Nepali wedding ceremonies.
Nepali wedding lasts for two days. The first day is filled with the preparations.
The swastika – a symbol of blessings in Nepal.
A lot of English books on the shelves)
The first day of Nepali wedding
Blessing of the bride and all actors involved on Nepali wedding.
On the first day of the wedding the bride prepares and sends a special invitation to the house of the groom. It looks like this:
Here is house of the groom. Invitation handed friend or relatives of the bride and the main man, which is something like a spiritual guide throughout the wedding.
At this time, preparations are continuing in the house of the bride
In the evening, the bride (and sometimes the groom) and all the girls who want to have applied mehendi (henna decoration) on the hand (and feet). This is called henna-night. At this time all gathered in the garden waiting for the master mehendi.
The first day of the wedding is begun.
The first day of the wedding – a ceremony and rituals. This is a very lengthy process, which lasts several hours. Guests can attend the ceremonies, and can relax, help themselves to a buffet, to do anything.
Plates of the leaves – disposable tableware in Nepal. If I am not mistaken, the representatives of the higher castes had eaten just this natural bowl .. On the first day of the wedding in these hardwood bowls guests handing out the ritual meal.
Another special person prepares a ritual tent. At its center – the hearth. Next to the ritual tent are chairs for the bride and groom. And chairs for guests.
Of course every guests are loving to take pictures
Exchange of garlands of flowers is almost as important in the symbolism of the Nepalese wedding, as the exchange of rings.
This is a tug of sheet between the friends by the bride and groom. Whose side will win is a main in family life – is the same tradition as the bite on wedding cake a Russia.
Second day Nepali Wedding – reception
This is more guests than the first day – about 500 people. The bride wears a new sari. All the invited girls and women should be in a new sari. The young husband and wife have taken guests with gifts – it is also a kind of rite and takes as long time as the ceremony was the first day. At this time buffet is open. There in no alcohol at a wedding at all.
Then we go home and open presents. Half of the gift is money. This is the same tradition as in Russia.
And my taxi with the meter to Tamel.
© Olga Saliy. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced without prior written permission of author.
Beautiful story! Thanks for sharing Olga.
beautiful photographs taken from interesting angles. Tells a wonderful story
Great pictures!
I just came from Nepal so it’s interesting reading this…