15/12/2016
Tuesday 13th - Pt 2, The Wedding Party!
The next task was to get my additional trip costs paid, so a bit of juggling with Barclays in Shankar's office and the deed was done - thanks Mum for paying, love you.
Next, off to buy a wedding present. It was suggested that I just buy a 200Rs silk scarf, but that felt really cheap and a bit rude, so Prakash's brother Zuzan took me shopping. We took a taxi to a big supermarket and Zuzan suggested burying them a heater! Why not? Sounds as good an idea as any!
I bought them a remote control electric bar heater, which the sales lady duly wrapped in Christmas paper - it looked like the first time she'd ever wrapped a present to be honest, but it looked ok - ish!
Taxi back into town, picked up my other shopping and back to the hotel with a few hours to kill.
What to do? The beautiful courtyard garden was bathed in sunlight, might as well have a beer!
Three bottles later, sun gone in, up to the room to put my traditional Nepali dress on again. It had occurred to me that yesterday I was the only person wearing such a garb, all the other blokes in suits or casual gear. Maybe today would be different!
Zuzan arrived at 5.30 and off we went, present in hand, into the manic Kathmandu traffic at rush hour to go to the party venue.
The venue was like a hotel function room - really big with lines of chairs and a few round tables. There was a small dance room to the side, where some kind of fusion of Nepalese/Indian Pop was blaring out. I'm sure I heard John Legend mixed in there somewhere.
At the back of the room was a stage, on which sat the Bride and Groom, with a table in front of them - for presents I correctly assumed.
We went straight up and I presented my large Christmas-paper wrapped box, they were happy.
Then we sat at a table and it was time for a beer. There were two trolleys of pre-poured drinks doing the rounds. One with Cokes, Fantas, teas and water, the other with half litres of beer, and glasses of wine, whiskey and other spirits.
Beer for me.
It was again a bit bizarre, like yesterday, no one really seemed to pay the Bride and Groom any attention - save presenting them with silk scarves....
..and of course, yet again I was the only one in traditional dress!
Some food came out, including some fried chicken that I had got to really like over the past week, so I took a bite of some. Instant face burn! It was so, so hot! My face was on fire, I didn't eat another thing all night!
I spoke to lots of chaps that I had seen yesterday, generally about how long i was staying in Nepal and whether I like their culture (1 more day, and yes!), and the brides mother (I think) popped over for a chat too - the only woman I spoke with over the two days.
There were kids running around, and Prakash's niece, probably aged 7 or 8 was fairly insistent that went for a dance, which I did. No idea what the music was but it had a beat, and there was lots of arm waving involved.
As the evening wore on, it continued to be a mixture of beer, dance, sit-and-chat.
To be completely honest, I really did feel like the proverbial "spare prick at a wedding" as the night went on! I found myself sitting at a large table and the Bride and Groom, who had taken off some of their ceremonial dress, sat down on it. It was us and another chap. Everyone else was either dancing or sitting chatting elsewhere.
Someone gave the Groom a plate of curry. About 10 minutes later Zuzan fetched another plate of curry for the Bride.
I found it strange that there wasn't an organised banquet like you would have in one of our weddings, but I guess that's just the way!
The hardly touched plates were taken away, and the Groom went to the dance floor, joined by all his mates for some more dancing. I joined in (with niece) and not long after the Bride was there too with her friends. At last, something I could relate to!
And then that was it! The music stopped, everyone started to move towards the exits. It was over just like that!
The Bride and Groom left with their family group, someone carrying loads and loads of silk scarves... and a large Christmas present...!
I was put in a cab for town after saying my goodbyes. My first ever Nepalese wedding, certainly different!
It was only 9pm so I took the cab to Sam's Bar where I had sat and contemplated things the week before. The circle was complete. I sat and had a few beers, in my traditional Nepali Wedding Dress...
I decided to head back to the hotel, but just outside the e trace there is an Irish bar, with a live band belting out AC/DC! Up I went, just in time to catch the last half of the last song. Ah well.
Into the hotel, alarm set for 5.30am, I was ready to go home.
