Weddings Ahoy!

When you get married or plan to get married, you choose your sarees and jewellery very carefully - of course, initially to look splendid on your wedding. Mostly, you hope to use them multiple times at other weddings of relatives and close friends.

...and then, there are people like me who move away from home which means you live far away when such weddings occur or even move really far away, abroad! So all my sarees are literally new as they have never been worn! So when a wedding occurs and you can actually go for the wedding, your excitement doubles at the prospect of airing out those beautiful sarees you bought a decade ago! 

For a change, I had too many options and was perplexed about what to pick! Finally, I decided to wear this lovely saree in burgundy with traditional motifs all over and madras checks with a twist! I wore this for my wedding reception 12 years back! 

I have developed a sudden spurt of interest in sarees and have been exploring different options apart from traditional kanchivarams ( of which I have plenty thanks to my wedding!). So when I came across this gorgeous pastel shade of handloom silk saree on an online sale, I simply grabbed it! 

I am obsessed with online shopping for three main reasons: lots of great deals, convenience and I am lucky that I almost always get it right! ( thanks to Baby Girl, I can't really go out physically and shop too often!)

It was a family wedding of a close friend...so the "three musketeers" planned over a month, shopping for sarees, accessories, jewellery and it was a helluva lot of fun. I chose to wear my already existing abundance of sarees, rarely worn!

ROI on sarees - CHECK! 

My Jhumki Jhumka Collection!

Jhumkis are a classic, just like sarees...they never go out of style!
Amma had a major crush on Jhimkis or Jhumkas ( down south it is Jhimki and in the North it is referred to as Jhumkas - they are basically the same!)...but she could not afford them when she was a young woman herself...so when she could afford them....she bought one too many for me and I had many variants since childhood - but didnt have a fancy for them whatsoever!

Years passed by, and Amma's fascination has caught on, it is right on trend...and it definitely suits my big face! I have enough variations in gold, 1gm gold, lac, silver, gemstones, temple jewellery, different combinations...you name it...and I have it! :-) I am hoping to pass them on to Baby A - well, if she doesn't care for them, like Amma would say "One day, you will beg me to give it to you...so will she!" ;-)

These are my first jhimkis....the one's my parents gave me as part of my wedding jewellery in gold. They are classic south indian style jewellery and I have a piece that reflects my roots down south!

...these are called "temple jewellery" and are often worn in south indian weddings and for dance performances as well....they are very flattering on most faces! :-) I wore them for my wedding too! 

I bought these 1-gm gold jhumkas and wore them for Baby A's ayush homam....it's an affordable option that suits my pocket while looking as good as any gold jhumkis.

I have always been in love with kerala jewellery - i like bithe lovely designs - their maanga mala, big oversized jhumkis...this is a palakka style jhumki and oversized jhumkis are always in vogue...the fact they suit my equally big face is a plus!

Second to jhumkis, I love pearls or anything pearly for that matter...also, they add elegance to any outfit- be it a saree or any western formals!

I bought these to go with a contemporary red saree for my brother's wedding. I wanted something that would not be too overwhelming, considering the red saree is bright already - sort of monochrome-colored jhumkis!

Oxidized jewellery/costume jewellery for everyday use, to be paired with kurtas and kurtis.

I love turquoise and anything blue or turquoise-y! ...I loved these coz they are a good mix of modern look with traditional elements, especially in a jhumki!
Unlike my usual self, I have worn all of these at some point in time - casual, everyday, important events, to work....everywhere! How do you like my collection? I plan to expand this collection....as time goes by.

Gorgeous box of Jewellery - Manjushaa!

I am always on the lookout for traditional jewellery - with a contemporary twist! I love it, when its simple yet elegant, affordable yet good quality and as I began my search - i stumbled upon www.manjushaa.com
Manjushaa literally means "box of jewels" and what a gorgeous treasure it is! :) I was pleasantly surprised to find something in every single category - right from anklets, maang tikkas to an awesome collection of temple jewellery and navratna collections which are timeless and can be worn numerous times at weddings, and almost with every saree!

Part of the "Navaratna" Collection...these lovely sets can be a versatile addition to your jewellery...without burning a hole in your pockets!


They also have some traditional pieces and some unique pieces of "temple jewellery". I have seen many versions that look very similar on so many women that these sets were a refreshing change from the usual...don't you think?

I am lusting on this set - the chain is so pretty too! I remember my granny or paati wearing a similar earring and begging her to give it to us! ;-)
A bride could make this a part of her wedding ensemble or it could work for those who look for jewellery for their arangetram too! any bharatanatyam enthusiasts, are you listening? The workmanship is stunning - and every piece of jewellery leaves an impression on you - I am impressed, for sure! 

I have a soft corner for Jhumkas - they are timeless and forever in trend! Look at these beauties...

Have a look at their website ( Click here) and take a look at their huge variety of lovely, simple designs...understated and very elegant! Their prices are very reasonable, starting from Rs.500/- and upwards and the kemp collection starts from Rs.2000/- onwards! Enjoy! 

Indian Fashion, this time!

I have been away for quite some time, for good reason! I was in India celebrating my brother's wedding. I did most of my shopping and research for the clothes, jewellery and such like online so that we could focus on my brother's shopping when we got to India! While most of my friends and my folks were not very confident of my choices online, I totally was! I am often very clear about what I like and never have regrets or doubts.

Though I could actually see the actual product only when I got home to my folks in India, thankfully, all of them turned out really great and I loved it. This is not a plug for any of the websites, but the idea is to help others find things easily if they are away from home, or prefer doing things online, like me to save time and effort.

Sarees:
I picked up two contemporary Georgette sarees from www.cbazaar.com . They have a huge variety of sarees and you need a lot of patience to browse through their collections. I had about 4 months to decide since my brother's engagement to the wedding. I found that they drape really well and most importantly, are unique and one-of-a-kind! :) Here are the sarees I picked!
( P.S - The women in the pictures are not ME! ;))

 Saree for the Engagement - from the same website!

For the rest of the various events in the wedding, I wore my own wedding sarees, for the second time since the wedding! I love wearing sarees and feel it really suits me. However, as I live away from home, there aren't too many opportunities. I wore the traditional 9-yards for the muhurtham ( the important ceremony where the groom ties the mangalsutra on the bride!) which made so many of my folks really happy! :)

Blouses:
I don't like ornate decorations or elaborate embroidery on my blouses. But I love stuff that looks different from the usual styles and very well-fitting blouses. Most people wear the same-border blouses that come with the saree. Though I had the same ones, I decided to buy brocade-like materials for my wedding sarees. It turned out to be really expensive or too blingy for my liking! Finally, I bought materials used to stitch salwar kameez in Kumaran Silks in T.Nagar, who had exactly what I wanted, and at a reasonable price.

The salesman looked at me strangely when I said I am stitching blouses from these materials. Common sense tells me it can work, coz a blouse is just one-fourth of a kameez and it can work! It did!! I gave Amma a lot of grief over the tailor, but he really did a good job of all the blouses. Amma heaved a sigh of relief! :)

It was silk-cotton and let me breathe in the sweltering heat!!  As for my hair, its a different story altogether, the humidity made it a disaster and looked like cotton-candy!


Jewellery:

I loved this style of the necklace (as seen above), its a gift from my brother for Rakshabandhan. Its my choice, but he paid for it! :)
 
I have a wide variety of jhimkis, thanks to Amma, my wedding and I can open a shop! Yet, I added another one to my collection - these are the kashmiri style jhimkis! :) Actually, it is a set of 3 - another longer jhimki hangs to this! I wore only two, as I thought all three together would look over-the-top! :)

If you like the jewellery I am wearing, I bought them from Chaahat Hyderabad - look for them on Facebook. I have bought quite a lot of stuff from them and the jewellery is really pretty, prompt delivery and their customer service is pretty good too. They ship worldwide.

I also bought these bangles from www.99labels.com 

I won the second prize for this entry and I used that credit to buy a saree and these bangles. They also gave me a gift voucher for my birthday! ;)

Mehendi:

I love mehendi or as they say in Tamizh, marudaani! :)  Apart from the fact that it looks beautiful on your hands, it cools down your body temperature. and boy! I am HOT! ;)
I got this done on the streets of T.Nagar, and I must say they did a great job. There are a group of boys and men from the North, who sit there on the road with umbrellas and you can sit there and get it done! :) They also come home and do it for a group of people. There weren't too many girls at home, people were directly coming to the wedding venue mostly. So I decided to get it done there - quick and easy.

Pretty, isn't it?

P.S - I am not being paid to write to this post by any of these vendors or websites. It is just my way of helping people looking for information or as a point of reference.

Indian Weddings down south!

99labels announced the 99labels Wedding Week Contest and I decided to participate in it for three reasons:
1. It's a really interesting subject and often the topic of heated discussions in many conversations
2. It's a good opportunity to create awareness about the meaning behind tradition and rituals
3. It's a bonus if I win the loot, of course!

All you have to do is blog about one or more of the following topics:

• My big fat Indian wedding
• What “not to do” while planning a wedding!
• My dream wedding – Simple or lavish?
• Traditions I love/hate in Indian weddings
• My wedding shopping spree!

Traditions I love in Indian Weddings
As a little girl, growing up watching numerous romantic movies where the brides are dressed up like angels in lovely white gowns, I always thought that is the best way to get married. In my innocence, it never struck me that religion had anything to do with a wedding or that only Christians have a white wedding!

I belong to a South Indian Bramhin family and I am married to the most wonderful husband in the whole wide world...my dream did come true and how! I had an elaborate two- day wedding replete with all the rituals, amidst sacred chanting, auspicious beginnings and the blessings of our loved ones.

Like everything else in India, weddings look a little imperfect without traditions, rituals, fun and celebrations. Today, having travelled to different countries and experiencing different cultures and meeting different kinds of people...I realize that there is so much meaning and a sense of togetherness in our way of life - especially at weddings.

Everyone Counts!
Indian weddings are often a family affair, its not just about the bride and groom. Cousins, aunts, uncles and other relatives had come down for the wedding and its such a fun opportunity to meet everyone. Everyone helped a great deal with the wedding preparations and in receiving all the guests, sharing my parent's responsibilities. I also love the fact that in all our rituals, an aunt or uncle or brother has a role to play in every custom, it gives them a sense of participation and they feel important.

In south Indian weddings, there is a ritual called "Malai Mathal" which literally means "exchange of garlands". The bride and groom are lifted to the shoulders of their respective maternal uncles. This is an expression of continuing sibling support to their mother. It is often a lot of fun and laughter as the bride and groom dodge each other and everyone participates and enjoys the lightheartedness.

Kanyadaanam - a tribute to the Father-Daughter relationship
Kanyadaanam is a very important part of every Indian wedding. In a South Indian wedding, the bride sits on her father's lap while he performs the "kanyadaan" - "kanya" refers to girl and "daanam" refers to giving away. The father gives his most cherished gift, his daughter as a gift to the groom. It is believed that the groom is a form of Lord Vishnu. Thus, presenting him their most precious child is deemed as the greatest honor for the parents of the bride.

It is such a beautiful tradition and is such a lovely way to honour the parents of the bride. I was thrilled to be sitting on Appa's (father's) lap while getting married. I am truly his girl! I remember the pandit telling me to steadily look into my husband's eyes (I glady did) as part of the custom while sitting on Appa's lap while he tied the thali or mangalsutra to solemnize our union amidst vedic chants, our parents, relatives and everyone rushing to bless us with akshadai (rice-grains coated with turmeric and saffron, are showered on the couple, by elders and invitees – as benediction) and flowers - I remember that gorgeous moment even now!

Saptha Pathi - 7 steps towards an eternity of love and happiness
In "SapthaPathi" or seven steps, the groom holds the bride's hand and takes seven steps together around the holy fire. With each step, they take a vow - the belief is that when one walks seven steps with another, one becomes the other’s friend. In this small gesture, intimacy is mingled with earnest intentions, vowing in front of God - giving the ritual a whole new meaning. In North Indian weddings also, this is a very important step and is referred to as "Saath Phere".

Having watched the "Saath Phere" over and over in so many movies, it actually felt surreal yet wonderful to go through the same thing in real life. I also felt that this ritual propogates equality - that the man and woman are friends, companions for life.

Nalangu - good humoured fun!
The evening of the wedding day is "Nalangu" - a time to relax and have fun. The newly wed wife calls her husband for play. Much to the amusement of all gathered, there follows a series of playful games. During these events women sing songs, making fun of the bride, the groom and the in-laws.

Nalangu is good entertainment for all the guests and it also helps the bride and groom shed their inhibitions and get closer. At my wedding, I did'nt get a chance to play "Nalangu" as my husband felt it was very childish and we were too tired by then. We were engaged for a year before we got married so we had no inhibitons whatsoever by then, happily chatting away, much to the chagrin of my mother who wanted me to at least pretend to be a coy bride!

I am so glad that I got married in typical South Indian style intermingled with tradition, fun, and lots of love and blessings. Every single tradition and ritual has a deep meaning and fun element to it and its a once-in-a-lifetime experience...and you get married only once (well, atleast in my case)!

Your outlook towards life reflects who you are...similarly, I choose to look at the brighter side of every tradition and enjoy it thoroughly. I just LOVE our culture, tradition and weddings, of course!

Here’s how to participate:

1. Become a member of 99labels (If you are not a member already) by clicking on the referral link at the bottom of this post. (You get Rs 100 worth of credit free to shop!) .
   
   1. Create a log-in preferably using the email id attached with your blog. This is to protect the anonymity of some bloggers as the referral link (read rule 2) displays your email-id.
2. Post your referral link on the post (This means that whoever becomes a member clicking on the link gets Rs 100, and whenever you referral buys an item you get Rs 500). To find your referral link
   
   1. Log in on http://www.99labels.com/
   2. Click on “Invite friends” on the top menu.
   3. Go to bottom of page and look for “Copy and paste your personal invitation link” and paste the link at the bottom of your post E.g . My Referral invite – http://www.99labels.com/v1/Become-Member.aspx?re=xyz@gmail.com
3. Copy and paste all the rules in your post.
4. Leave a link to your post in the comments section of the contest page of 99labels http://blog.99labels.com/2010/10/25/wedding-week-blogging-contest/.
5. Copy and paste this image at the end of the post and the category under which you have posted.

Edited to add: I won second place and a 1000 Rs. gift voucher!! Yay!!!