The Desi Girl (Discontinued)

Chapter 45: National Jiju - Nick Jonas

Chapter 45 : National Jiju - Nick Jonas

"Why the hell do you people have so many ceremonies?" Jesse said.

"Armaan and Rachel's wedding is nothing compared to the other weddings we have in India, bro." Kabir replied.

We were all at the Dubai airport, waiting for our flight to arrive. By all, I meant, Tara, Zee, Parker, Jesse, Kabir, Charlotte and I. Well, not just us, there are others too like the parents and all but they do not belong to this conversation. Claire and Veronica couldn't come because, well, we were going to India, after all.

"And if you're thinking this is going to be anything like the Nickiyanka wedding, you're right." I said.

Tara started lauging.

"What?" Zee asked.

"National Jiju - Nick Jonas. They should put it in the Kindergarten books." She said.

"True dat." I said lauging.

"Where are those two? How much time does it take to get food?" Zee said referring to Parker and Charlotte who had gone to get our food from KFC fifteen minutes ago.

"But seriously, I really don't know why you guys have so many ceremonies. We just have a a rehearsal dinner, the wedding and the reception." Jesse said.

"We shortened the wedding for you guys. Indian weddings go on for days!" Tara said.

"Finally!" Kabir said as Charlotte and Parker set down the four trays filled with chicken burgers, fries and cold drinks.

"What are we talking about?" Charlotte said, sitting beside me. "Sorry bro, I don't care if she's your girlfriend."

I laughed as Parker sat down next to Kabir, sighing.

"Tara's right." I said picking up my burger. "We're a mix of two cultures, Punjabi and Bengali, but both sides of the family have five day weddings."

"For Rachel and Bhai's wedding, they changed the rules a little bit. The first evening is going to be the engagement or the ring exchange. Along with that, we will have the rehearsal dinner." Tara said.

"The next morning is the Church Wedding, where we do everything according to you guys." Zee said.

"That evening we have, the Mehendi and the Sangeet. We get henna tattoos that day, as you guys call it. And we dance and sing." I said.

"And by dance we mean a friendly competition between you guys and us." Tara said.

"That's not fair! It's just the three of us, and you guys have so many cousins and all!" Parker said.

"None of their cousins are coming. It is just you guys and us. Everyone else is coming for only the reception." Kabir said.

"Back to the wedding, please." I said. "And the last day, we have the turmeric or haldi ceremony in the morning, after which will be the Hindu wedding in the afternoon."

"And lastly, the reception, right after the wedding. The marriage ceremony gets around 2 in the afternoon. And the reception starts at 7 in the evening." Zee continued.

"The three of you know more about our sister's wedding than us." Charlotte said.

"We did plan half of the stuff." Tara said.

"And we did buy your gifts too." I said, chuckling, knowing the reaction which comes next.

"Gifts? What gifts?" Jesse said, surprised.

"We Indians have a custom of exchanging gifts during every celebration. So, not only the bride and groom, but even their families get gifts. Not from the guests, but from the other side's family."