Just returned from a week-end in Panchgani and yes we also took in a wedding!!!! For the uninitiated weddings are a huge deal in India. People will go bankrupt but throw a lavish wedding for their son/daughter. But the ethical issues aside they are a lot of fun. Of course this particular wedding was attended by 3000 people, infact nearly the whole of Panchgani. And at the end it had a chaotic feeling to it. Because they tried to mix up a traditional catholic sit down deal with a hindu meet, greet and eat wedding reception.
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I love road trips. This was what the "ghats" (the road that is cut into the mountain) to Panchgani looked like.This hill station is about a 4 and half hour drive from Mumbai. It's beautiful and provides so much fodder for amateur photographers and just people who want to take in the landscape and recharge themselves.I wish that Mumbai had the Panchgani weather and more of the greenery.
We stayed at a Heritage Hotel and it was lovely.The inscription says 1925 and it was a pucca parsi/british establishment. It had a beautiful garden and its architecture was so distinctly british with gables etc.
And the food was yummy I've even taken pictures!!!! I have definitely gained a few pounds. The different dishes that we ate will make for another blog.
The highlight of my trip was paragliding some 6000+ feet in the air. Of course there was a trained pilot who took me up but still I was a bit nervous as you can see from the way I am holding my hands. My father took this just before I took off.It was 10:30 am and there was a lot of sun so he couldn't get any more shots of me in the air
Keiths dad is a municipal councillor and king pin in Panchgani.These banners(without exaggeration there must have been atleast 10) were all over the road on the way to the wedding reception.We were invited from the girls side.
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At the wedding venue , where my aunt raised the toast. The bride is her brothers daughter and she (the bride) is my second cousin.
The orders of the pictures are a little out of order ;).Here are the couple after the wedding ceremony in the Church.Here are all the ministers and politicians who attended the wedding.I included this picture because first of all I didnt take many.Despite wanting to do an Angelica Glass I could not. Because I have not only not read the camera manual thoroughly;) , it was also really chaotic and I realised you have to be a person who is invisible to take snaps.But with just so many people around + me loosing my cell phone that was not about to happen.
At the wedding venue , where my aunt raised the toast. The bride is her brothers daughter and she (the bride) is my second cousin.
The orders of the pictures are a little out of order ;).Here are the couple after the wedding ceremony in the Church.Here are all the ministers and politicians who attended the wedding.I included this picture because first of all I didnt take many.Despite wanting to do an Angelica Glass I could not. Because I have not only not read the camera manual thoroughly;) , it was also really chaotic and I realised you have to be a person who is invisible to take snaps.But with just so many people around + me loosing my cell phone that was not about to happen.
And second of all to show you how important this wedding was. Suddenly in the middle of the ceremony, two of the rows emptied out (conveniently where the young men were sitting) and all these white kurta pyjama clad men walked in.......while their bodygaurds!!!!!! were outside the church.
I was in the loft since it was a very small church, though very beautiful.It could not accomodate all the people who came.This is at the begining of mass. My dad felt really hot here and took of his coat. The choir was also situated here, they came from Poona which is a neighbouring city and we were treated to some amazing music.
As soon as I reached home I put on my computer and decided to catch up. Imagine I went 2 days with only 1/2 an hour of just checking mail. (Oh well technology caught up at the heritage hotel as well and it was Wi-Fi)
I was in the loft since it was a very small church, though very beautiful.It could not accomodate all the people who came.This is at the begining of mass. My dad felt really hot here and took of his coat. The choir was also situated here, they came from Poona which is a neighbouring city and we were treated to some amazing music.
As soon as I reached home I put on my computer and decided to catch up. Imagine I went 2 days with only 1/2 an hour of just checking mail. (Oh well technology caught up at the heritage hotel as well and it was Wi-Fi)
But I wish sometimes to go back to just enjoying the naturalness of life and not when everything was technology enhanced.
Looking at the mountains I always feel small and realise how different people's lives and experiences maybe. It also makes me clearer about my life. I mean the farmer in Panchgani ( and there were loads of sugarcane , rice and wheat fields......as well as wild flowers .......wow) may have loads of problems (I'm talking about things Ive studied, sugar co-operatives, farmer suicides etc. ) but he still has to till the soil and harvest it. In the same way I have my ups and downs but I still have to continue doing the things that I do whether it is completing my masters degree or being a good daughter. But its really great when you can always know your purpose so clearly.
Anyways I have loads more pics and if anyone considers requesting me politely I will send the link!
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