Wedding Prank – Indian

Nationality: South Asian-American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: April 28, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Hindi

Folklore: Indian wedding prank

Then after that, the boy enters the temple. Where the ceremony takes place is very sacred. While the boy is waiting there for the bride, his shoes are there outside. After the ceremony he can take his shoes and the girl to his house. It’s the girl’s family’s responsibility to take the groom’s shoes for money. Because he can’t go outside without his shoes, it’s a tradition every wedding. The bride’s sister or any relative would take the boy’s shoes and hide them for the entire ceremony and at the very end would ask for money.  The bride’s family obviously doesn’t want her to go. I got $500!

Analysis

We love to party.  In India, it’s whatever happens to be comfortable. People will take off a week from work for the wedding. But we pulled it off in three events: the cocktail party, a henna party, and a very intimate family party for religious reasons. That’s when a guru would come to the house and set up a temple for private prayer. At that point in time, the girl’s family would bond again, wish good luck to the girl.  My sister was sitting down and all the female members would hold a cloth over her and put one piece of jewelry on the cloth, which has our best fortunes and wishes for the future to bless her. Then she’d be spiritually ready for the wedding.

There’s a “rule” that you can’t wear anything old, basically – a lot of shopping, brand new dresses/jewelry. It’s about first impressions. To Indians, it’s always about the one-up, showing how wealthy you are and the grandiose of the event. This is a way for us to have a really big family reunion. My sister got married last fall.

My Analysis:

This is a classic wedding prank in Indian culture. Feet are often seen to be sexual symbols, and to have the groom frantically look for the shoes exemplifies this idea. It also shows how playful the weddings are, and is a way for the bride’s family to think of clever or cunning ways to hide the shoes.  It also has a feeling of nostalgia. Obviously, the bride’s family does not want their daughter to leave, so if the groom can never find his shoes, then they can perhaps keep her forever.