Wedding at a Hindu Temple

My friend from the neighborhood, Mani, got married recently.  While I was not able to attend the reception, I made myself available for the temple ceremony.

After sharing a Chinese Tea Ceremony, I thought that a Hindu ceremony would not be out of place here.

The ceremony was conducted at the Hindu Temple at Danau Kota.

 

The words spell 'Welcome' in Tamil.

 

 

When I arrived, they were performing the blessing ceremony for the bride.

 The 'two men band' that provided the music for the occasion.

 

When the 'blessings' were completed, the bride and entourage cleared the platform.

It was time to bring in the groom.

 

 

As the groom was 'blessed', he has also to 'feed' the flames.  There must be a significance for this, but my Hindu friends seen to only know that its done, but not why its done.

 

Part of the guests at the ceremony. (It is here that it dawned on me that if you carry a big enough camera, you sort of have a license to move about without hindrance.)

 

When the 'blessing' and 'fire feeding' over, the groom and best man sat on the 'pelamin' (wedding dais).

It was now time to bring the bride back.  The two musicians had walked out to escort the bride back in.

 

 

 

It was now time for the bride to 'feed the flame'.