Why I miss old wedding traditions

December is a  month of religious and social activities. It is Christmas time, festivity time, and getaway time and above all else traditionally a time when marriages are solemnised.

Since the beginning of the month, I have spent most of my weekends attending betrothal get togethers, marriage ceremonies and wedding receptions of friends or family.

Enjoyable gatherings with deejays entertaining the guests playing all that is top of the charts in Bollywood.

Whilst these ceremonies are fun, I miss the authentic Indian weddings. Gone are the days when traditional marriage ceremonies were in vogue. With this departure, the warmth, charm and happiness that it generated has sadly been replaced.

In the early days of Asian immigration to Kenya, a small group of people played a significant role in spreading happiness and maintain our cultural heritage. Members of the group, an offshoot of the Marasi (entertainers) community of India, were a source of perpetual entertainment until the late fifties when most of them migrated to England.

Be it matchmaking, birth of a child or a wedding, they would come in handy by spreading news, distributing invitations, entertaining at functions, singing folk songs and dancing.

I have fond childhood memories of a grand lady who was referred to as Navi Masi (new aunt) playing her dholki (small drum) and singing Punjabi folk songs at wedding parties. She was an indispensable heroine of any celebration as she cracked jokes whilst putting up paper decorations at venues.

Playing dholki at pre wedding parties and girls getting together to sing traditional numbers has been taken over by deejays. This new version of entertainment does provide superficial fun but I felt the beauty, charm and nostalgia of the tradition we cherished is lacking at these deejay extravaganzas.

Be as it may I hasten to congratulate all the newlyweds. May they have happy and fruitful.

Have a merry Christmas and happy holidays.