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ALTERNATIVE
WEDDINGS & CEREMONIES
A wedding feast on banana leaves, a decorated elephant to
bring the groom, a performance of classical Indian music and dance,
decorating of hands and feet of the bride with Henna, silk sari
for the bride and dhoti and white shirt for the groom.
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Sample alternative, traditional Hindu style wedding in South
India (Kerala)
Cost £5,600 for accommodation and the ceremony is (up to
10 guests for three nights). Note: that weddings are
non legal (we recommend that you register in the UK to avoid complicated
bureaucracy).
Tharavad is a 200-year old ancestral house owned by Mr Bhagwaldas.
It lies within paddy fields, in the east of Kerala. Five generations
of the eminent Hindu family have lived here.
The house is constructed primarily of mud and teak, with an emphasis
on cool and airy public areas. Architecturaly it is beautiful
- bulbous pillars are carved in the form of elephants, snakes,
fishes and dragons. The floor is covered in natural dyed tiles
of ochre, terracotta and blue.
At this wonderful and historic home you can select a wedding ceremony
- Hindu or Christian - that is tailored to your needs. You may
want a simple ceremony among friends, or something more flamboyant
(local feasts on banana leaves, elephants, dance and music, and
Hindu rites).
There is plenty to keep guests entertained - cycling tours, cooking
lessons, walking, fishing, yoga, meditation - to name a few. (This
wedding is suitable from July to February only)
What the wedding includes:
- four double and one single room for three nights full board
(you will be booking the whole house and meals will be prepared
for you)
- clothes for bride (silk sari and Costume jewellery) and the
groom (dhoti and white shirt, with white shawl) and help with
makeup and dressing
- pandal (tent) decorated with flowers (Mandapam), the ceremony,
with live Indian music and a wedding feast on banana leaves
- performance of classical India dance from the Kalamandalam dance
school on the evening of the wedding
- decorated elephant to bring the groom. (Additional Elephants
can be arranged at an additional cost. For auspicious reasons
Elephants should be in odd numbers in a procession.)
- live classical music performances in the evenings
- CD/video/photography, and wine and beer during stay (not hard
liquor or champagne)
The programme
Day one: arrive by noon for lunch and the 'exchange of
invitations' - Bridal Mehndi ceremony. The hands and feet of the
bride are decorated with Henna. You can take a walk through the
paddy fields or to the village tea (chai) shop. Live evening performance
of South India classical music during dinner.
Day two: breakfast. By 9am, the groom's family is taken
to the Siva temple to get the Nuptial Chain blessed. Make your
way on the decorated elephant, with family members and Panchavadyam
musicians in tow.
The bride's family will receive them at the gate with Thalies,
garlands and floral showers. The Thalies are exchanged and the
groom and family are taken to the decorated pandal for the rituals
over the Homakudam (fire as witness) with the Hindu priest (Pujari).
Garlands are exchanged by the couple and the nuptial chain tied.
This signifies their sacred union as husband and wife.
Wedding sadhya (feast) on banana leaves follows. Afternoon at
leisure.
Evening: 6:00 - 7:30 Performance by Kalamandalam dance troupe
showing the classical dance forms of Kerala.( Kalamandalam is
the most famed classical dance organisation in Kerala) Dinner
with live classical music.
Day three: visits to the local area. Evening walk through
the paddy fields to the basket weavers colony. Dinner with live
classical music.
NOTE: We automatically offset your air travel through an
agreement with Climate Care. This is an additional charge of,
for example, £16 per person from the UK, £27 from
the U.S. You can see our Advocacy
page for more details on how and why we do this
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Contact
us about our alternative weddings
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OTHER TOURS THAT MAY INTEREST YOU...
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North India tours
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here for village homestay holiday - Eastern Himalaya
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here for Rajasthan and Delhi Insider Tours
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here for Himalayan and Darjeeling Insider Tours
South India tours: Kerala
Click here for
Kerala culture tour
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here for Kerala backwaters tour
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here for Wilderness west of Bangalore tour
South India tours: food tour and birding
tour
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here for South India food tour
Sri Lanka tours
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here for schedules and prices for Sri Lanka tours
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