going native

That’s Krishnan, the bride’s younger paternal uncle, and your humble blogger (I’m the frazzled looking guy on the right) in Room 2 on the bride’s side of the marriage hotel in Trichy. You’re supposed to wear new clothes to a Hindu wedding, and the family who has invited you buys it. Krishnan and I discussed coordinating our outfits the day before in Srirangam. For the formal reception of the groom’s family on the morning of the first day, we decided on white shirts, bleached dhotis, and those little scarf thingies you see draped over our right shoulders. One of the nephews said we looked like Tamil village politicians. Note the ribbon holding the closet door closed and the packaged water bottle that is never far from my thirsty grasp. What you can’t see is the rattling but functioning air conditioner which is keeping the room cool.

The groom, Haresh, told Krishnan on the second day that he was impressed not so much by my wearing a dhoti, but by the fact that I managed to keep it on without a belt.