Behind The Indian Veil, A Journey Through Weddings in India -Sephi Bergerson

Even as the rich and breathtakingly beautiful traditions of Indian weddings seem to be disappearing in today’s fast-paced, digital age, Sephi Bergerson,
in spite of being a foreigner, has managed to document Indian culture with love, respect, and an admirable attention to detail. He has captured and brought to life a tale of Indian weddings in a way that makes the Indian wedding duly stand out as the miracle it is. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari,every Indian celebrates this miracle in myriad ways. Over the past seven years, he has witnessed, soaked in, and documented the grandeur of human
emotions during an Indian wedding, effortlessly highlighting a variety of communities and their wedding traditions, culture, ceremonies, and legacies.But this book is not a manual or an encyclopedia on Indian weddings. It is instead an incredible visual journey through the sublime moments that
make this celebration so momentous. Joy, ecstasy, intimacy, nervousness, sublime love, exuberance, spontaneity, and the sorrow of parting from one’s
family and joining another, have been lastingly captured as pictures while never losing their texture of reality. Each image is surprisingly tangible, and will speak not only to the eye, but to the very heart and soul of the reader.In the outskirts of Leh, the old capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, and facing the famous Thiksey monastery a colossal tent was erected.Intricately design miniature tables, a befitting showcase of the Ladakhi tradition of woodcurving,were placed for the guests who were seated on the carpeted floor. Salty butter tea, a must-have in Ladakh, was served to all of them. The couple had actually been together for more than 10 years at the time of this wedding,and had two children together – a nine year-old daughter, and a four year-old son. The children attended their parents wedding.No third person, priest, or a Lama (a Buddhist monk), is needed to solemnise a Ladhaki Buddhist wedding. A Bagston, as the wedding is called in Ladakh, is usually a simple case of making a decision and seeking parental approval. The village comes to celebrate and witness the union by adorning the couple and their immediate relatives with a sacred silk scarf as a symbolic gesture saying “We are witnesses to your marriage”. The guests bring presents; mainly cash in small amounts, butter, sugar, wool, and other useful gifts that will help the new couple start their own families. The presents are carefully registered in a dedicated notebook. Later on, when the couple is financially stronger, they will return this loan little by little to the giving families at their own Bagstons.On the other side of this huge country, a Brahmin priest had noted the auspicious time for the wedding according to Hindu culture, and the wedding was to start not later than 6 am. The Tamil Brahmin wedding, commonly known as Tambrahm,is a very strict religious affair adhering to the Hindu scriptures.This super traditional wedding,of all the wedding in India.