I was looking forward to the wedding expo this year, but guess what? I nearly missed. Last Sunday when I woke up, I saw a brochure in the living hall and realised it was going on from 7th - 10th April. As usual, called up my partner in crime, Dinisha and managed to get her to fetch me.
We reached Mid Valley Exhibition Center, (MVEC) about 3pm. First 2 thing that attracted my eyes was the S shaped decor & the beautiful Ganesha kolam.
<--"Latest design by D'Wedding Dream"
<-- Ganesh Kolam also by D'Wedding Dreams
The indian Wedding expo was in Hall 1 & 2 while the Hall 3 was hosting the Malay Wedding Expo.
Whenever I attended an Indian wedding, I would be asking myself the significance of the Vidaai/Bidaai ceremony. It is an important ceremony especially for the Indians from the north, Punjabis, Gujaratis, Sindhis, Sikhs etc. Wedding is suppose to be a happy occasion, then why all the crying at the end of everything? Why the sadness? Without knowing the reason, I too had tears in my eyes at my sisters, Varsha's & cousin, Prina'sb vidaai. It is after that when I found out the true meaning of the vidaai ceremony.
This ceremony that is filled with emotions takes place towards the end of the wedding; it marks the end of celebrations especially for the bride’s family. Vidaai/Bidaai simply means the departure of the bride from her father’s house. It symbolizes both happiness and sadness on the part of the bride: happiness as she is stepping into a new chapter of life and sadness because she leaves the home and people with whom she has been living all her life.
The members of the bride’s family, her relatives and friends all become sentimental, shed tears and at the same time bestow their blessings for her blissful future. The father according to this ceremony finally gives away his loving daughter to the bridegroom and prays for her protection. The bride during this ceremony has mixed feelings and the sense of parting from her parents brings tears to her eyes. She hugs all her near ones. Also, the bride has to throw away few handful of rice at her back. This signifies that she is returning what she has taken from her parents and also she wishes that her parent’s home should flourish. The newly wedded couple seeks blessings of the elders by touching their feet.
In the last stage of the Vidaai, the couple sits in the car that is pushed by the bride’s brothers. This signifies her stride into her new life. In most of the wedding,s brother of the bride goes along with her sister as a support to her.
The moments of this ceremony touches the heart of everyone present there even the groom’s family members. At the end of this ceremony the bride moves into her new life leaving behind her family and friends.
This famous Vidaai/Bidaai Song describes the entire ceremony:
