Asif in Aligarh

Like a boomerang, I swooped into New Delhi on friday to be with my friend Asif and attend his wedding on the prestigious grounds of Aligarh Muslim University, four hours south of Delhi.

I had been to heaps of Indian weddings, but never a wedding seeped in Indian Muslim tradition. I was looking forward to observing the differences and similarites between the two... Being Asif's friend, he was constantly beckoning me to the stage, where he sat for most of the day, eating and receiving visitors. His wife spent most of the day in a different room, kicking it with her fams and her girls. The ceremonies were quite similar, with the major differences, a more distinct seperation between men and women and of course, prayers in the Muslim faith, toungues and sounds of Arabic and Urdu...

At the end of the day, Asif's with, Anjum, came to the stage and sat for some time. Soon after that, Anjum came out to Asif families' car, tired and teary eyed from an emotional day of old and new, on her way to a new home...

Aaj, we got the ceremony on Asif's tip and kul, Anjum...

love and health to all...