Trade As One

The culture of hospitality permeates India. On this particular sightseeing Saturday in Mumbai, we experienced Indian hospitality at its finest.

Due to a variety of unfortunate circumstances, including our unreliable driver leaving our car unattended and having to retrieve it with our host, Mum, Lindsay and I found ourselves standing rather awkwardly on the side of the pavement, with our host’s words, “There’s a wedding going on in there - go inside!” ringing in our ears. We grew increasingly uncomfortable as both the hot afternoon sun and the stares of passers by bore into us. Meanwhile, we welcomed momentary distraction as wedding guests joyfully entered the ceremony next door, dressed in their finest silk saris. It wasn’t long before our host’s suggestion began to sound like a very good idea.

Shortly thereafter, the bride and groom exited the building to have their photographs taken; we stood gaping at how beautifully adorned they were. Feeling gutsy, I approached the bride and motioned, “Can I take a picture?” She nodded, smiling, so Lindsay and I snapped away. Moments later, we were being whisked inside by the bride’s uncle and ushered past turning heads, to the front row seats of honor. Said uncle then introduced us to about thirty relatives, from the bride’s parents to one girl about whom he stated, “This one’s a doctor”. Each one smiled graciously at us, seemingly very happy to meet us. Embarrassment would grossly understate our reaction.

It was a relief to have somewhat normal conversations with a few of the relatives, who wondered where we were from and why we didn’t speak any Hindi. A number of the women, bedecked with intricate henna and stunning jewelry, pointed confusedly at our wrists, asking us why we weren’t wearing any bangles. We shrugged our shoulders at them, only to find out later from our host that women wear an abundance of bangles in order to round out their wrists, as “flat” wrists are considered unattractive. Colored bangles also have differing meanings throughout India — the woman pictured below wears green bangles because she is married. Check out the various bangles we sell so that you, too, can beautify your wrists!

After politely refusing the countless invitations to stay for “lunch”, (an Indian feast), we took our leave from the wedding party. We met up with our host and driver, who had retrieved the car for the grand sum of 600 rupees (about three US dollars) and proclaimed our disbelief at the extent of Indian hospitality.

Apparently, in Indian culture, guests are quite literally treated as gods.