Day 20 - Wedding Day (as well as Christmas Day and K's mum's birthday!)

7.05am ready to go when K got suspicious by the silence. H's room was opposite us at the guest house, repeated banging & calling out finally woke up H!!! Indian time again!

We finally left around 8am for H's grandfather's place again, this time for the dressing of the groom. Of course everyone there was still getting out of bed, while we were fully dressed and ready for the wedding! While we waited for everyone to get up, we took the opportunity to ring home for Christmas - but it sure wasn't very Christmassy where we were!

H came out in his gold suit, and we watched as the turban was folded from a piece of material around the size of a bed sheet, and then carefully wrapped around Harbir's head. Along with his sword he was almost dressed, a few finishing touches to his outfit came from the women, and then some singing and chanting as he was led to the wedding car (decorated with flowers stuck on the outside).

We headed off for breakfast first, to the site of the wedding party. There were huge marquees, a band playing, and an amazing amount of food, we were approached literally every few seconds by someone with a drink, or some food, all of which was very tasty, and we also availed ourselves of the breakfast buffet.

The wedding ceremony was next - we were taken to a Sikh temple a few minutes down the road, and sat cross legged (men on one side, women on the other) as we witnessed the wedding. H and P circled the priest four times, at the end of the fourth lap they were married, then it was back for the wedding party.

As H entered the gardens this time, we were blocked from entering by P's "sisters". They wouldn't let him in until he had paid them enough money!

The wedding party was another food and drink extravaganza! There was music and dancing, all outdoors on a lovely sunny day. We left around 3:30pm as we had to get back to Chandigarh, so we arrived back at H's house around 8pm.

H and P arrived a little while later, and this time it was H's "sisters" who blocked P's entry until she'd paid them enough money!!

K (now an honorary sister) & one of H's "sisters" had the task of undressing P from her wedding regalia & taking down her beautiful, long thick hair & helping her pack to go to the hotel. All this was done with much gossiping about H, it felt quite strange to be having to tell the bride what her husband is like!

After some dinner H and P headed off to a hotel for their first night together, and we headed off for some well earned rest, because all of this eating and drinking is pretty hard work!