Going to check out the wedding venue on 4 Dec 2003
Byah Haat 5 Dec 2003
Thaapa 6 Dec 2003
Thaapa ki dhok - Raati jago 6 Dec 2003
Moments during Raati jago 6 Dec 2003
Baan 6 Dec 2003 - Tel Chadhaana
Baan 6 Dec 2003 - Ma washing my head with curd after tel chadhaana
Baan 6 Dec 2003 - Fresh after bath; ceremony with elder sister
Baan 6 Dec 2003 - ceremony with elder sister
Baan 6 Dec 2003 - Brother bringing down from the 'paata'
Meeting Archana who'd just arrived with her family from Darjeeling - 6 Dec 2003
Meeting the bride's family - 6 Dec 2003
With Reza, Sanjog, Sabeena, Shikha, Malvika, Kishlay at Elephant Mansion (after meeting Archana) - 6 Dec 2003
Geet Sammelan, a musical evening - 7 Dec 2003
Archana and I at the Geet Sammelan - 7 Dec 2003
Watching Archana watch the Geet Sammelan - 7 Dec 2003
Geet Sammelan - 7 Dec 2003
Singing 'Bai sa ra bir meh to koni khatawan seer' at the Geet Sammelan - 7 Dec 2003
Archana watching me sing - Geet Sammelan - 7 Dec 2003
Singing 'Kakoji mahro byah karwa do' at the Geet Sammelan - 7 Dec 2003
Singing with Sunita at the Geet Sammelan - 7 Dec 2003
Feeding each other after the Geet Sammelan - 7 Dec 2003
Food and some more singing after the Geet Sammelan - 7 Dec 2003
Bhaat - morning of Wedding day 8 Dec 2003; Dinesh Mama came with a Chunri saree for Ma
Bhaat - morning of Wedding day 8 Dec 2003; Dinesh Mama putting the Chunri on his sister
Bhaat - morning of Wedding day 8 Dec 2003; Ma's siblings and families
Ready for baan - tel utaarna - 8 Dec 2003
Baan - tel utaarna - 8 Dec 2003
Kamal jeejaajee during 'tel utaarna' - 8 Dec 2003
Mehandi in hands and kajal in eyes - Baan - tel utaarna - 8 Dec 2003
Ma-bauji washing head after Baan - 8 Dec 2003
Baan - 8 Dec 2003
After a bath with saree on head - 8 Dec 2003
Dinesh Mama lifting me up - 8 Dec 2003
Beginning of main event - Korath - 8 Dec 2003
Korath
Dhukao - At the entrance to the wedding venue
Bride's mother and aunts awaiting the arrival of the groom
Dhukao
Hitting at the 'Toran'
Welcome by Archana's family
Dancing with siblings
Walking towards the stage while greeting my TNA teachers, friends, family and guests
Archana before varmaala
All eyes on stage as Archana walks towards it
Varmaala - Preparing to garland
Archana puts the garland on me
I garland Archana
Elated after Varmaala
Both with varmaala
Seated on stage after varmaala
Sikkimese cultural performances
Guests assembled
Frying dry fruits
Photos with family
More photos and dancing
Manish jeejajee's juice-drinking style
With Sarda bai and Ajay daju
Before the pheras
Sitting in pheras after midnight - 9 Dec 2003
Holding hands under a handkerchief
Ready for pheras
First phera
Going round the wedding fire; getting married with Agni (fire) as witness
At the end of first phera
Second phera
End of second or third phera
In the 4th and last phera, Archana agrees to follow me :)
Bride's mamaji at the pheras
Giving privacy
Explaining the wedding vows
Smiling at the meaning of the vows
Just before 'sindoor' - being pronounced man and wife
After 'sindoor' - now husband and wife; Archana has the red powder on her hair parting; has now shifted to my left - the place for my wife
Singing and dancing after sindoor
Noon-rai (salt and mustard) sprinkling by Archana's younger sister
Married and smiling
Money and marigold
Bride's bhua (aunt)
Reza carries me as Archana's sisters have hidden my shoes
Negotiating the price to return shoes
Happy with the 'neg', the sisters bring forth the shoes
Without shoes to negotiations to shoes
Janwaai shlok before saasu ji (mother-in-law)
Smiling after saying shlok
Some more giggling at shlok
Looking at Archana during shlok - early hours of 9 Dec 2003
Gifts to the janwaai before bidaai
Sisters have come to visit Archana at her sasural - 9 Dec 2003
At the temple for dhok and chhadi
Dhok at the temple
Prayers for happiness always
Prayers
Giving archana the 'chhadi'
Archana ready to play chhadi
Playing chhadi with Archana
Archana during 'chhadi' time
Fun playing chhadi; praying at Sheetla Maata's thaan
Praying at temple
Pitraan ki dhok; opening the knots
Jua (gamble) time
Archana before 'gotra milaana'
Ma and chachi's feeding Archana to bring her to our gotra 'Garg'
Putting on the red and green 'suhaag' bangles
Dewar in bhabhi's lap - Archana in my lap - me in Ma's lap
Peeth-moda - Archana returning after visiting parents after marriage
