Wedding sense

 The five senses; taste , touch , smell, sight and hearing. For this wedding  Six Senses , the hotel owner  , provided the venue in which all the main senses were treated to an overload of perfection. 

Wedding guests numbers were limited to 150 by Covid decree. Usually weddings in India of this profile attract guests numbered in their thousands. We were indeed the fortunate few ,with guests confined to family and close friends . An intimate, relaxed  atmosphere was possible in which to truly appreciate and share a three day sensory extravaganza . Fortunately only guest numbers were restricted , an army of support discretely ensured that sensory perfection. A maharaja would have been impressed.

Rose petals are soft and tactile, but in normal life rarely handled , except when clearing fallen ones. At first we thought it was a bowl full of water with a few petal s floating . But there was no water , just petals .; and just not one bowl , paths were lined with them. So we immersed outstretched hands for this most delicate of experiences.

“Jasmine is considered the queen of flowers and is called the "Belle of India" or the "Queen of fragrance" as it is exquisitely scented to soothe and refresh.” Even the poorest of ladies, working in all activities,  add it to their sari ensemble to creat one of India’s iconic sights , and smells. All the main wedding venues were adorned with metre upon metre of jasmine flowers , cascading down from every available support , augmented overhead in meshes of profusion . The aroma adoringly veiled us everywhere.

Punjabi music throbs with the beat of powerful drums , as though demanding all to participate . Coupled with rap, then it becomes all enveloping  . A rap band pounded out until all were throbbing , and bopping with the beat . His impact was assisted by speaker volume that obviated the need for heart supporting pacemakers . Our whole bodies , not just ears , became audible receptors.  Days later the music  is still reverberating within me.

India is a vast country , with an array of cuisines to match . Spices are the common ingredient , there is no such thing as blandness. Meal after meal , and all the spaces in between  , we could feast on an unimaginable array of flavours . Those which tickled the fancy , and others that could incinerate the unwary. One morning drink was correctly labelled ‘rocket fuel’. A squadron of chefs ensured culinary perfection . we were well and truly satiated .

It was the visual impact that was the most striking . The fort itself provided the regal backdrop, now transformed into a modern  Mughal masterpiece of an hotel; added to which were flowers to adorn every spare space. The guests clothes themselves were a display of colour and sophistication; and that was just my five designer outfits ! The ladies , and especially the bride’s sari’s were a riot of colour and brilliance. At night- time lighting enhanced all by reflective brilliance . The main venue ( there were four ) was illuminated  by  dozens of floodlights , only to be augmented on the final night with thousands of tea  lights.