A Celebration Of Happiness And Sorrow
Early last month, I happened to go to a wedding outstation. My brother in law was getting hitched to his longtime girlfriend. There was pressure to bring my best self forward during the wedding being his ‘only bhabhi’ (sister-in-law). Fortunately, after working hard on the attire and makeup and dance rehearsals, I managed to put up a satisfactory presentation. During traditional Indian weddings, it is natural for every woman to have an ambition of presenting their supreme self. The irony is that each one of them is so conscious about their own looks that no one actually has the time to look beyond themselves. I very often ask a question to myself, “Why the hell do I need to devote so much time dressing-up if it’s just for my own satisfaction? Why can’t I just be a plain Jane? If every girl starts thinking in this direction, think of the amount of money and time one would save by not visiting a beauty parlour or a fancy boutique. Marriages in India are a very complicated a...