From Riches to Rags
My title sounds like the U.S. economy, but it summarizes the highlights of my day. This morning I headed out to a Tamil temple to meet up with Pushpam for her cousin's son's wedding. I can't do justice to the ceremony - parts reminded me of a Muslim/Malay wedding, parts of a bat mitzvah, and parts of a church wedding. The groom arrived and sat at the front of the wedding hall. 
Later the bride came in, wearing a sari and a veil covering her face. There was a lot of upfront activity and breaking of coconuts. About midway the groom presented the bride with a sari and she went off to change. In the meantime baskets of betel leaves, sweets (peanuts and something similar to gum drops), and rice and flower petals were passed around. When the bride came back the groom lifted her veil and tied the back of her sari (if I understood correctly). Once it was tied bells rang, we threw the rice and flower petals, and they were married. (I imagined that people in the front rows would be covered with rice and petals, but guests' throwing arms weren't that strong.) The time of marriage was set by an astrologer. If a bride seems to be dawdling getting dressed she is urged to speed up.
As soon as they were married we headed down stairs for a vegetarian buffet. It was really good - so if anyone ends up in KL looking for a caterer I can recommend Little Caterers. While we dined we watched the "receiving line" of a jumbo screen. Sorry that I cut their heads off but you get the idea. Before I left remembered to photograph Pushpam and Yoga.(I first met Pushpam in 1971, before either of us knew our husbands.)
In the afternoon I headed over to the mall near the hotel. I was surprised to see table after table set up in front of the shops. All 5 floors were crowded with what seemed to be a combination flea market and night market.
The assortment was familiar, including LPs, CDs, books, toys, and piles of clothes. 
The mall was the first where I saw a sign of Christmas, clearly not close to the usual US extravaganza and no sign of Santa Claus. 
Later the bride came in, wearing a sari and a veil covering her face. There was a lot of upfront activity and breaking of coconuts. About midway the groom presented the bride with a sari and she went off to change. In the meantime baskets of betel leaves, sweets (peanuts and something similar to gum drops), and rice and flower petals were passed around. When the bride came back the groom lifted her veil and tied the back of her sari (if I understood correctly). Once it was tied bells rang, we threw the rice and flower petals, and they were married. (I imagined that people in the front rows would be covered with rice and petals, but guests' throwing arms weren't that strong.) The time of marriage was set by an astrologer. If a bride seems to be dawdling getting dressed she is urged to speed up.As soon as they were married we headed down stairs for a vegetarian buffet. It was really good - so if anyone ends up in KL looking for a caterer I can recommend Little Caterers. While we dined we watched the "receiving line" of a jumbo screen. Sorry that I cut their heads off but you get the idea. Before I left remembered to photograph Pushpam and Yoga.(I first met Pushpam in 1971, before either of us knew our husbands.)
In the afternoon I headed over to the mall near the hotel. I was surprised to see table after table set up in front of the shops. All 5 floors were crowded with what seemed to be a combination flea market and night market.
The assortment was familiar, including LPs, CDs, books, toys, and piles of clothes. 
The mall was the first where I saw a sign of Christmas, clearly not close to the usual US extravaganza and no sign of Santa Claus. 
posted by Liz at
8:09 PM
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