Indian weddings aren’t only famous in India. Rather, they’re also popular in the much larger world out there. For the one simple reason that they are often held in a grand manner, and observed with a keen sense of style and fashion- everyone knows what to expect when one attends an Indian wedding. There’ll be a large spread of food, an interesting mishmash of colours, traditions, cuisine and, beautiful attires and, of course, the song and dance ritual.
Truth be told, it’s hard to imagine an Indian wedding minus these factors, rather, make them essentials. What also makes most Indian weddings attractive and stand out from the rest is the sheer presence of wedding presents (gifts) that the bride and groom are literally showered with.
But to make for a point for a difference, there was one wedding recently held in Maharashtra that wasn’t plagued or decorated by any such fanciful elements. It was a fitting antidote to the kind of stuffiness one usually attributes to a “big, fat and, rich Indian wedding.” A common Maharashtra couple was not only dressed in a rather simple traditional attire but was also least interested in jazzing up things, the way most North Indian weddings are, on most occasions.
This indeed made for commonality to persist instead of showiness, seen in many an Indian wedding. Interestingly, what set the wedding involving the Maharashtra couple apart from those of the others was a similarity between the wedding gifts that were received. In case, you were wondering just what was it about the wedding that created the “right noise”, then here’s the answer.
The Maharashtra couple accepted nothing else but books from the guests or attendees of their wedding. This not only made for a somewhat different picture than most other weddings but underlined a difference of thought that this couple exhibited than any others one may have seen during other weddings.
How many people- if it could be asked- would have accepted such a remarkable and simple gift? Usually, when one marries in India, then a lot of jewellery, gold and silver, costumes, expensive and elaborate pieces of cutlery et cetera are known to be presented as gifts. And there it was- a simple, non-showy couple who had actually asked to be given nothing else but simple presents. It could be said, this Maharashtra couple accepted only what was sensible- books.
Over the years, it has been seen, a lot many couples in new-age India are making their own choices, that are a world of a difference away from the usual glamour that serenades grand Indian weddings. It also made for an interesting observation that what might have the couple done using so many books?
It was the groom of the wedding- Amar Kamalkar’s- choice to actually set up a library post his wedding that attracted so many books to be presented during the function. Having worked as a ‘social worker’ for as many as 15 long years, Amar Kamalkar’s resorted to a simple way of life. And, in that regard, what could have been possibly better than to have been gifted a load of books? At present, Amar runs his own foundation called “Yuva Chetna”.
Amar Kamalkar’s wife, also a big believer in the utility of books, Rani, works as a Professor of Economics in the University of Pune. There was nothing that could have been as brilliant as that of combining social work with one’s wedding. In this regard, the Maharashtra couple has not only given the others, some food for thought but have proven that even something as personal and individual- as a wedding- can be used to direct one’s efforts toward social work. How noble and simple is that? One wonders if India is going to witness similar events in the future.