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By Ralph Seeram“He has to give me that truck he tried to run me over with”, my friend remarked in a very serious tone.“Are you crazy”? I replied that I was acting as his “big brother” for the wedding. It was a typical “bottom house” Hindu wedding. My friend, a Christian,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, was told that he can refuse to eat until the father of the bride gives him a satisfactory gift.The ritual, I understand, was more of a symbolic nature, but my friend took it literally. Why did he demand the Bedford truck?I recently visited Guyana for the wedding of my nephew. I recalled when I received the wedding invitation the envelope was unusually large and heavy. On opening it, I discovered there were two invitations, one for a Hindu ceremony and one for a Christian wedding plus reception at the Pegasus. Included were also invitations to various pre Hindu rituals leading on to the ceremony.My daughter pointed out to me that I will have to get two outfits,Wholesale Soccer Jerseys, one for the Hindu ceremony and one for the Christian wedding and reception.This wedding caused me to reflect on a recent trend in the Guyanese community here in Orlando,Cheap Adidas NHL Jerseys, Florida and in Guyana itself. There are not only marriages between the believers of the two religions but also two distinctive ceremonies. There was a time in Guyana when this was not possible, in fact downright impossible.I know of many cases where parents of both parties adamantly opposed any such unions. I also know of many occasions where young couples openly defied their parents and eloped because their respective parents opposed their union because they came from different faiths. Of course I am talking of way, way back in time.Times have changed, young people are more liberated, and in most cases more financially dependent, not depending on their parents “purse strings”. Of course Western influence also played a significant role.My first inkling that changes were on the way goes back to over thirty-five years or so.  A very close friend of mine was getting married; both parties were of the Hindu faith,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, so there were no problems on that front.The Bharriat which I was part of arrived at the bride’s house; the Hindu marriage ceremony was performed and it was time to leave. My friend changed from his Indian wedding outfit to a suit and was about to leave with his bride when “hell broke loose”.His father demanded that he wear his full Indian wedding clothes to leave the bride’s home. My friend insisted that the ceremony was over and he can “wear what he wants”.The bride’s parents chimed in to say their daughter can’t leave until he wears his wedding outfit. He in turn informed them that she is his wife and they have no say.The back and forth went on for more than an hour with no solution in sight, both parties “sticking to their guns”. I spoke to my friend and his father in order to arrive at a compromise. His father insisted he has to leave the yard in his wedding outfit and that when he reached the road “he can do what he likes”.Now the funny part of this story is the argument revolves around him crossing a bridge over a four-foot drain to the road,nba jerseys discount, yes, three steps at most, yet everybody was holding their ground. I suggested that my friend should compromise in respect to his father’s belief and wear his wedding gear the few feet to the road; he complied and furiously undressed on the road.While I did not realize it at the time that was a significant indication that changes were in the making.I enjoy Hindu wedding ceremonies; they are so rich in symbolism. Every step of the ritual brings greater awareness to the parties on the responsibilities ahead. And so it was with my friend mentioned at the beginning of this article, and why he demanded a truck as a dowry.When word came to the father of the bride that my friend was interested “in her hand of marriage” he was furious. His Hindu daughter would not marry a .Christian. Truth be told, his sons, my friend and myself were very close friends. The thought of religion as a barrier to our friendship never occurred. So when the father got word that his daughter was going “around with a Christian  he was furious, so furious that when he saw my friend on the road one day he tried to run him down with his Bedford truck.Eventually, greater sense prevailed and he relented and agreed to the union of his daughter and her boyfriend. My friend never forgot the incident, so when someone told him that his father-in-law will have to give him a gift of his satisfaction before he can eat he took the point literally.After nearly an hour impasse I got annoyed told him in no uncertain term that he has to stop the nonsense, as the ritual is largely symbolic. Besides, he was already legally married, so it did not matter if the father in law gave him anything. Further, there were guests waiting at his house for the arrival of the bride. He relented and things went smoothly from there.Yes,Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping, time has changed since then; a double wedding is the norm now, a bit more expensive, but the end justifies the means. I have a wedding to go to next weekend here in Orlando. You guessed it; it’s a double ceremony— Hindu one day and English reception the next day.And I just received a save the date for a wedding in Guyana for next April. I have also been informed that there will be a Christian and Hindu ceremony. I already have my outfits, I am ready.Ralph Seeram can be reached at email: [email protected]