Photo by Brajeshwar
Brajeshwar and ShantaBrajeshwar got married to Shanta on 07-07-07
I was actually thinking of 11-11-11 as the cool date to get married. However, things don’t always happen the way you want, you have to twist things happening around you to make it work for you in the better way. So, today, on this cool numbered date 07-07-07, me and Shanta got married officially and legally.
Links to Marriage Photos at the end of this article.
THE MARRIAGE
Due to the overwhelming interest from our parents, gurdians and relatives, the whole plan was super pre-ponded and everything started to fall into places, dates and calendared events. It all started with a family-only miniature Engagement held at a local Temple in Mumbai (INDIA) on the 26th February, 2007. Then, according to local well-wishers, pundits and sanskrit scholars, our marriage dates were slotted for the 20th June, 2007 which was supposedly very auspicious for the traditional wedding day. It was later learnt that more than 5,000 marriages happened that day in Imphal, Manipur (INDIA). Well, we got married in front of over 500 visitors, relatives and family members gathering. That made the people from home happy as we hit the right dates and heed to their likes, advises and wishes.
SHANTA
Ever since I was in 10th grade, I knew Shanta as the youngest, naughtiest, the most talkative and of course the funniest, sister of one of my friend. Never had I in my mind thought she will be my girlfriend or more strangely my wife. I would ask her to make me good tea whenever I visited their home and even remember lecturing her to study well, sometimes getting down to teaching a bit of Maths, Physics here and there.
She was also one of most out-going and well-connected girl, who loves to ride around the town’s nook and corner on her bike almost everyday. I saw her, bump on her at most known places - restaurants, ice-cream parlors, soft-drink joints - and cinema houses. That easy access to her made her an ideal cupid for my erstwhile girlfriends. She would happily went in and bring out my girlfriends so I can enjoy my dates.
She used to have the shortest hair-cut a girl can have, She was rather very boy-ish. She is also popular for the way she scooters her bike fast away from your sight. It was my usual habit to scold her to start acting like a girl.
After I finished high school, there was no connection with my friend and thus never saw her again until early last year (2006) when I was looking for new recruits for the QA team at Mixercast. Co-incidentally, she was looking for a change of job and her brother got in touch with me through Orkut. Shanta got employed with Mixercast and my interaction with her started afresh but things were different this time.
Her hair has grown long and she was more lady-like, which I was extremely surprised of. She had shed her typical trademarked short-pants and she looked more matured in her new attire, dresses and accessories. I honestly do not have a clue when everything started but we remember talking to her mother about marriage dates, plans for engagements, ceremonial events, et al.
I’ve always believed that I should wear a wedding ring but that comes none in our tradition. So, I decided to make the engagement in a manner where we exchange the wedding rings. Shanta settled for a D’damas ring which was simple and can be worn daily. Mine was a local made 24 carat hand-crafted gold-ring popularly known as the Bombay Belt (it does look like a belt). I tried to get “Shanta” etched in the inside of the ring like the Elvish inscription of the Lord of the Rings but the local Goldsmith was unable to do it and settled for a simple Text that reads “Shanta”. The Engagement took place on Monday, the 26th of February, 2007.
As planned, we left Mumbai for Imphal on 30th of May, 2007 to give us enough buffer time to prepare for the marriage, send out invites, etc. The actual events related to the Marriage starts on the 18th June, 2007, known as Heijingpot. On this day, the families of the Bride and the Groom exchange edibles, talk, and does many poojas/prayers. There was even an additional Cake-cutting event on the side of the Bride which I find it very new (it wasn’t there as far as I can recollect form childhood days). Most things were new to me, because as a grown-up, I was attending the first every Manipuri Marriage which ironically was my own.
The next day, me, the Groom gets the official/traditional invite from the Bride’s side through a messenger which involves lots of praying, blessings and exchange of betel leaves and nuts plattered underneath with nicely cut circular banana leaves. In fact, these three plant items were most rampart in the whole Marriage and I saw our rooms filled with them for distribution to the guest, visitors and the Gods and Goddesses.
The 20th of June, 2007 was indeed the traditional Manipuri Marriage for me and Shanta. It was a whole day event, tiresome, real sore in the rear, stiff neck for looking straight for hours. The Manipuri Marriage is supposed to be of “serious matter” and people aren’t supposed to laugh aloud specially the Bride and the Groom. Well, I stole a few smiles, grins here and there while Shanta was really generous with her wide smiles.
I don’t quite saw much part of that day, as I was trying hard to concentrate on being a serious Groom. It was even against the tradition not to go out even to pee if you once go inside the Marriage Arena and that space last for over 4 hours or so. Both families had tried their best to cut down on the guest list and that left them controlling for a crowd of just about 500. And the extended singings from the traditional marriage singers took a huge toll of my time and I can vividly remember coming up with many alternative ideas to shorten such Manipuri Marriage keeping it to just the main event but still be able to perform all traditional deeds that we had to do. Of course, I do remember being jolted from that tradition-shaking-alternate-project-plan by an excruciating pain in my bum as I was sitting there for over 2 hours or more waiting for the whole thing to get over. Finally, all went well with no pee-feeling in between and I was able to pack off that day on the specially-prepared-yellow-wedding-bed. Seeing the bed, I was about to gasp, “Oh! Shit” but I kept that to myself.
Then came the day after Marriage, that saw another visits from the Bride’s parents and relatives, lots of guests, lot of eating & talking. The second day after Marriage was nothing eventful but a preparing for the third day that turn out to be the Big Feast Day at the Bride’s parental home, followed by a similar Big Feast on the 5th day. I came back to Mumbai on the 27th, things cooled down and I’m back online. Honeymoon(s) are being planned for later dates as I need to finish off many un-finished business.
Actually, my earlier proposal to the family relatives and parents was to make this date the Marriage Date and thus get registered there in Manipur itself. It was rejected, so I had submitted my Marriage Registration request and all details while I was still in Mumbai during May so I can have the Official Marriage on this cool date - 07-07-07. And so finally, on the last lag of our Marriage, Shanta and Me got the official Marriage Certificate dated - 07-07-07. We will be celebrating this date as the official, legal and actual Marriage Date.
Well, that’s it, I got married. Now, I have to see that all my online profiles reads “Married” instead of the “Single” status.
PHOTOS
- Engagement on 26th February, 2007
- Heijingpot on 18th June, 2007
- Traditional Manipur Marriage on 20th June, 2007
- The Next Day of the Manipuri Marriage on 21st June, 2007
- The Big feast or Mangani Chakouba on 23rd June, 2007
- The official Marriage Certificate bearing the date 07-07-07
While I was in Manipur, I was able to sneak out to take some photographs of some new and scenic locations.
- Lotus Lake locally known as Khongampat
- Leimaram WaterFall
- Aerial View of Manipur around the airport
- St. Joseph’s Cathedral
- I was able to talk to and mingle with some cadets of the IRB stationed at Manipur
- The Kangla Fort
Brajeshwar posted this article
on Sat, Jul 7th, 2007 at 7:07 am
Categorized under Personal and has the following tags
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Wow, congrats!
Now plan for 08/08/08, but it is difficult (not impossible though!)
Wow congratulations Brajeshwar & Shanta! Such a easy (and smart *) date too!
*Many guys are having a hard time remembering their own anniversary dates! 8-)
@Dave Yang: Thanks
@Kartik Mistry: Well, it will be too rushy to plan for that. May be 09/09/09 be a good date. Anyway, I don’t want to continue this date thingy and make myself look like a numerical freak.
Congrats Dude
@Adam: Thanks. It’s good to see your comment here.
Congratulations! Great..
Congratulations, Brajeshwar!
@Abdul: Thanks
Congratulations! A beautiful bride and a perfect date to tie-the-knot!
congrats man all the best for the future .. on an unrelated note I got my driving licence today I didn’t realise the date was 7-7-7 till I saw it on the Licence card
I think its a cool date and number
Life is the flower for which love is the honey. - Victor Hugo
For one human being to love another: that is perhaps the most difficult of our tasks; the ultimate, the last test and proof, the work for which all other work is but preparation. -Rainer Maria Rilke
May you and Shanta enjoy the work, the flower and its honey.
Congrats Brajeshwar
Congrats yall!
Congratulations!
Congratulations Brajeshwar, I wish you a happy married life.
Thank You All.
Congratulations
Congrats! The ceremony looked very stylish (even though you wrote it was tiresome) and Shanta really looks gorgeous! You’re a lucky man!
Could you tell a little about her wedding dress? On this image she is actually sitting inside it? I’ve never seen something like that?
J
Congrats Braj. Wish you and Shanta a very happy married life.
congragulations
That’s some love story. Congratulations, dude! I’m very happy for you.
Oh, and I know why you chose 07/07/07: so that you never forget the anniversary, right?
Thank you all for the wishes.
@Jensa: Well that is kind of a hard-ish frock like exo-dress worn by the Bride in the typical Manipuri Marriage. This same outfit is also worn by the girlfriend of Krishna (Radha) in the typical Manipuri styled RasLeela (or the love games of goddess Radha and Lord Krishna).
Nice story and congratulations!
congratulations dude
have a happy married life
best wishes
an ardent reader
Congratulations dude!
Hi Brajeshwar
Wish you a very very happy married life..All the best..:)
Congratulations to you both!
All the best,
Burak
Hey long time! Congrats dude!
-erik
My best wishes to the couple!
I came here by way of Lorem Ipsum — a truly great WordPress theme — and stayed to look around and offer my congratulations and best wishes!
Hey, Congrats Brajeshwar & Shanta. Wish there’s always harmony in your life, just as it is there in your ‘Actual’ marriage date. All d best.
Speaking of dates, recently one of my close friend Shwetha got engaged - on 1st of may. And her wedding day is - 15th August. All r easy to remember. :D There wont’ be any fight among them regarding “U forgot our anniversary ….!!!” LoL
Congratulations to you both!
~Tushar
Congrats to Brajeshwar and Shanta.
Best wishes to the newly married couple. nice write up btw,
Congratulations!
Beautiful pictures, although I do wonder why you never smile? Everyone seems to be smiling big around you though!
I tried to propose the 8/8/08 date, but my girlfriend won’t wait that long! She wishes we were already married. How is married life?
wow congrats man
and Best wishes to u
********Congrats to Brajeshwar and Shanta.**********
yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay
@Brian: Actually the Bride and the Groom aren’t supposed to smile in our tradition. However, I did smiled a lot but have removed those photos from the uploads.
Congrats!!!
I wish this post becomes the most commented one(of course with congratulations and well wishes).
Enjoy the new life.
Many congrats on the wedding. Hope all is going great.
Without sounding too utilitarian i came across your site on the hunt for a joost invite. I was wondring if you still had any and were willing to send me one.
Many thanks if you can and good luck for the future!
Congrats!!!
Nice pics of weddings and engagements. I wish you very happy married life ahead and best wishes again.
Hi,
Hearty and sincere congrats. Didnt mean to sound off-putting that day, man. Apologies if u felt any. Both of u look great together.
Romila
~~~~~~Congrats to Brajeshwar and Shanta~~~~~~
Hey Brajeshwar, Congrats.
Wish you a happy married life
HI Brajeshwar, sorry for being late with my wishes. Congratulations to both of you. I fully understand the rigors of a traditional Manipuri marriage and I commend you for gamely sitting through it all!
Have a great marriage. Remember - “A wedding is an event, but a marriage is an achievement!”
Welcome to the club dude:) Congratulations to both of you!
Congrates! Been reading your blog for sometime now, two years to be precise, but never commented. But this post is special to you and I couldn’t resist the temptation to comment. “Here’s Wishing You a Happy Married Life”
Congrats buddy,
Congratulation to both of you………………..
wish you a very happy marriage life.
Awesome … congrats
I am also settling down very soon (on Jan 19th 
)
Regards,
Deep
I say again - awesome - please let me free! Plleeaaaseee!
In heaven there is no beer…
Coming back here after quite sometime to learn that you got married.
That’s a really nice story.
Congratulations.
well it’s very nice to see ur profile and very attractive too. though i didn’t attend to your marriage ceremory, am wishing you all the very best for your newly couple life
Hey,
Congrets ,
Wish you all the best for newly marriage life.
Combing through my comments, I saw there are more wishes.
Once again, Thanks a lot to you all.
Let us know when you forget your anniversary and we will toast to a true husband…
Congrates,Shanta and Brajes.
Wish you all the best for your future.
Thanks,
Anamika.
Hyderabad.
huh, maybe im the one who read it almost many months after the post was online… well, it is all to happy about
!! wishing you all very best…
wish u happy married life.
hay friend m in love with manipuri guy n dont know how do i tel him. i love him truly and want to get married with him.
can u tel me how do i tel him dat i love him. m waiting from last three years for that moment.
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