Day 7

That was a day with so many warm experiences, it was also a day of first proper wedding ceremony.

I had a lot of time in the morning so I decided to see something interesting in Kollam. When I was looking at the map I discovered that I fumbled a little yesterday, I went to Thangassery Beach and saw the ruins there. Somehow I thought that the ruins are the lighthouse I heard about, even though it doesn't look like lighthouse at all. For my defense I can only tell that so many things are different in India that sometimes it's actually good to drop your assumptions on how things look like. It came out that actual lighthouse is just a little further ahead from that place.

I head to the same direction as yesterday and found my way to the lighthouse. But there were some two hour break and I couldn't enter. I decided that if I want to wait for reopening I need to use the remaining time to eat something. I asked around and some old ladies called me. We couldn't communicate much, but through mixture of gestures, English and Malayalam they understood that I want to find the food. One lady wanted me to follow her. I thought that she's leading me to some small local shop or something of the sort, but she lead me to her house.

I was surprised, but with a lot of encouragement of other people of household I entered. They woken up some small girl who looked at most twelve to communicate with me. She was dressed in cute dress that looked like night gown, her gait was very soft and she had very high pitched girly voice. She was very happy to see me and talk to me. She spoke very fluent English. Although here even kids speak English quite well she was very articulate. Upon learning that I'm from Poland she said that she's planning to study nursing in Germany. From so far abroad it felt like she will be my neighbor and I said so. But I was wondering, so little girl speaking so good English and already planning ahead studying in Germany? I asked her about her age and she said she's 18. I couldn't believe it, she looked like a child and I had hard time to readjust image of her in my mind.

They feed me rice on banana leaf with various sides. When I explained to them that I eat vegetarian and also no milk they said that today just by accident they prepared all the food vegetarian (in this case really vegan) and it has to be God that brought me today to them. They were rather poor Christian family living just right beside the coast. They were extremely happy to feed me. Mariah, as was the name of little but adult woman, translated back to her family every information she got from me.

I knew that I got there long enough and I had to return to my room to prepare for the wedding. We exchanged Instagram accounts and she said that she will definitely contact me if she will get to study in Germany. She get the selfie with me and then shoot more photos of me. She said I look very cute. Oh girl, if someone was cute here, it wasn't me. As she was getting some photos of me I used that as an opportunity and asked if I can also make her photo. She was shy and said that she doesn't dressed for that, but I reassured she looks nice. She said that I could come back to visit them whenever I could. I knew that next day I will be leaving Kollam so with heavy heart I said goodbye to Mariah and her family.

On my way back I quickly entered lighthouse and the view on the ocean and city as well was stunning. Breeze was refreshing. I didn't stay long and returned to the room.

I have been preparing quickly and then went to the shrine when the wedding supposed to be. It was a little bit of going around asking, because it wasn't on the map, but I got also name of lyceum that was close. Ceremony was in big circular shrine (but not church) which was open and roof was holded by columns. Around it provisional metal roof was built. But generally whole place was in the open. I could think that I know whole Roman rite by heart at this point, but because it was Malayalam it was hard for me to follow. There were other noticeable differences. In India even Christians don't use rings as symbol of marriage, but nuptial chains instead, so they put chains around each other. Another thing after that was when bride put some material around her head and both of them kneeled before the priest and touched his feet while he touched their heads. At first I have been sitting somewhere around larger audience, but someone taken me closer inside the shrine. The bride looked amazing.

After the ceremony we went by bus to the reception. The place was absolutely gorgeous. There was nice palace-like building and it was placed just at the coast with the beautiful view at the ocean. Whole reception was open air, scenery was really incredible. Food was in a form of open buffet so I didn't really have any problems with finding something for myself.

General way it looked like was that the newlyweds were standing in front and people were coming to give them the gifts and take photos with them. Other than that open buffet and drinks (non-alcoholic) were always provided. Other than that, as a intermission of sort, bridesmaids were performing dance show. For all songs there were Nirosha and the twins - Melisa and Melina. For some of the songs rest of bridesmaids joined too. Of course I had to record whole performance.

I had so many wonderful interactions and people were happy to talk with me or do photos together. Afterwards at the end of the day Tini said that she's thankful for me being here and that I mingled with whole family, that they were saying as if I'm already part of the family. It was really nice to hear.

Here is the moment I must admit that among all these interactions there was one person with which contact I have been seeking the most. It wasn't that difficult, because Nirosha evidently was seeking contact with me as well. We made photos together and have nice conversations. Among the highlights was that she mentioned that she has plan, although quite fuzzy and unspecified, to go to Germany for nursing study. That's truly recurring theme of the day. Another thing was when she mentioned that she feels insecure and usually don't talk with foreigners, because "would they even like me?" with her dark complexion. I reassured her that foreigners don't care about complexion and people would like her for sure and she's beautiful as it is. It kinda become running joke that I said "karutha penne" ("dark girl") and she even asked me if I like that? "What?", "Dark girls", "Well, of course, why not?". At some point someone joked on her that when she'll visit Poland she will have free trip. We exchanged Instagram accounts so suddenly she become my other than Tini point of contact with them.

At some point the guests' numbers started to decline and people started to ask me how do I return to my place. Some people asked me if I'm going with them to Varkala today, but I said that I still have hotel booked for the night. From hindsight I know that was mistake, because they went to Varkala to "deliver" bride to bridegroom's place and leave her there and they afterwards returned to Kollam. I learned that only next day.

I returned to hotel as a passenger on a motorbike and it was actually my first time when I did it so I wasn't sure if I'm actually safe and if I holding myself correctly. It was really pleasant day and I couldn't wait for the next one.

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