Sometime last month, the video of a 4 year-old's wedding conversation with her dad went viral. I did share it on FB a few days ago.
Exactly forty years ago today, another four year-old (yours truly) attended the first wedding I can remember. It was definitely the first wedding in my dad's immediate family since I was born, possibly making it more memorable and special.
In the run-up to the wedding, there were errands to be run - and I would look forward to accompany dad as he set out on his travails around Mumbai in this respect.
The pre-wedding ceremony (called the 'Roce') was held at my grandmother's (Nana) place in Everard Nagar, and the coconut juice was dripping down the long moustache of the groom (which was the style in the day). Traditional vovio were sung during the ceremony. And afterward when the groom was all cleaned up, the senior Pinto family singers took over. While they continued singing till the late hours (characteristic of all family parties), the sit-on-floor traditional meal on banana leaf was truly memorable.
The wedding day arrived. My elder brother was the page boy and dressed in a navy blue waistcoat and matching trousers. We arrived at Nana's place for blessings, and then headed to Don Bosco's Matunga for Mass - possibly in the crypt. After a Mass celebrated by Dad's priest brother and graced with music by the family choir, we headed out to the reception.
The reception was an energetic celebration, and I possibly was running all around the place. The band-in-attendance was "Crimson Rage" - who also played at the first wedding that I compered a good 14 years later. After the customary entry and the toast came the Grand March where the "Tunnel of Love" resulted in smiles and grins galore. The evening was filled with music and a floor full of dancers in the bell-bottomed suits, traditional saris, dresses - minis and maxis, shaking their legs and more. There was a new dance called "The Bump" and all the guests were enjoying bumping their hips to each other to this song.
One minute there were doing the twist and at another they were "Kung-fu Fighting"
But the best song of all I remember is the duet by the bride and groom, that I've heard them sing many many times in over the past 40 years. "Encosta Tua Cabecinha" is Portuguese for "Put your little head on my shoulder". I don't really know the meaning of the song, but I'd say that it sounds melodious as ever, even 60 years after its release.
CONGRATULATIONS to a lovely couple... May your love grow with every passing year. Wish you many many more years of togetherness.
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