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Question for Monica Bhide

Tepee

By Tepee
in India: Cooking & Baking

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Tepee

Tepee

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Hi Monica

Your article makes a very interesting read. However, I perused the article twice, and there doesn't seem to be any mention of a wedding cake?? Is that a non-feature in an Indian wedding? I assume then (please correct me if I'm wrong) that a tiered cake is not important as there's loads of food already. This is interesting because someone in a cake board which I go to, had a hard time getting the wedding couple (or rather the MIL) to confirm on a cake order.

Would appreciate some enlightenment. Thank you.

TPcal!

Food Pix (plus others)

Please take pictures of all the food you get to try (and if you can, the food at the next tables)............................Dejah

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easyguru

easyguru

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There are no cakes in Indian wedding unless it is a Christian wedding.

Also that article depicts a particular type of wedding ( Punjabi Wedding) and is not at all representative of a typical wedding in India.

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Monica Bhide

Monica Bhide

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There are no cakes in Indian wedding unless it is a Christian wedding.

Also that  article depicts a particular type of wedding ( Punjabi Wedding) and is not at all representative of a typical wedding in India.

Thanks for the note easyguru. India is very diverse and this article is meant to show the diversity. It was a big wedding. Its meant to show how urban weddings are getting bigger. Its not meant to depict a rural wedding.. which is also equally beautiful.. but on a different scale.

Although cakes are not a part of the traditional Indian weddings.. there are cakes today in many weddings that I have attended.

Monica Bhide

A Life of Spice

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Monica Bhide

Monica Bhide

Posted
Posted
Hi Monica

Your article makes a very interesting read. However, I perused the article twice, and there doesn't seem to be any mention of a wedding cake?? Is that a non-feature in an Indian wedding? I assume then (please correct me if I'm wrong) that a tiered cake is not important as there's loads of food already. This is interesting because someone in a cake board which I go to, had a hard time getting the wedding couple (or rather the MIL) to confirm on a cake order.

Would appreciate some enlightenment. Thank you.

TP

Yes, traditionally cakes were not a part of Indian weddings. A lot of urban weddings though have cakes .. as did this one. However in this one the cake cutting was not performed (as is done here). I am Indian and married to an Indian but since we got married here in DC we had a lovely tiered cake (and that was eleven years ago). I also have attended various weddings here in the states and in India where people are starting to order cakes

Incidentally todays Washignton Post reports on Indian weddings (a 4 page article) by a lovely reporter Ms. Kalita.. and they focus on this book that was recently released in DC called Shaadi and wedding cakes are a large focus of it. IF you need anyother information please feel free to PM me

Monica Bhide

A Life of Spice

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Tepee

Tepee

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Thanks, Monica! You've covered all I wanted to know. Thanks also for the lead on the other article on Indian Weddings. Will pass this on to my cake pals. :smile:

TPcal!

Food Pix (plus others)

Please take pictures of all the food you get to try (and if you can, the food at the next tables)............................Dejah

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easyguru

easyguru

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Thanks for the note easyguru. India is very diverse and this article is meant to show the diversity. It was a big wedding. Its meant to show how urban weddings are getting bigger. Its not meant to depict a rural wedding.. which is also equally beautiful.. but on a different scale.

Although cakes are not a part of the traditional Indian weddings.. there are cakes today in many weddings that I have attended.

I think the wedding you attended is an extreme example and certainly not representative of urban weddings also. I have attended some of those types, but they are for the multi millionaire kinds.

In fact typical urban weddings are becoming much simpler and extremely compressed events due to economic and time factor.

In almost all cities there is industrialization of wedding. Television and movies have also helped in standardizing most of the weddings.

The marriage halls and hotels become available in most cities for fixed hours, most of the menus are standardized, the pandit also offers a standardized service, the flower arrangement, music is all available as a menu for different price. Most of the pandit also now days find a muhurat ( the sacred wedding time) to suit the wedding hall availability

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BBhasin

BBhasin

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There are no cakes in Indian wedding unless it is a Christian wedding.

Also that  article depicts a particular type of wedding ( Punjabi Wedding) and is not at all representative of a typical wedding in India.

Not true, true and true. However, in almost all punjabi weddings I have attended there has been a wedding cake. We punjabi's tend to be showoffs and 'gotta have everything' for the wedding so the cake is almost always there.

While there are numerous facets to a punjabi wedding they can be broken down ( perhaps not the best selection of words) into two major events.

The actual wedding ceremony, which takes place at the bride's place, usually at night where the Barat ( groom's patry) is treated to a dinner ( wedding feast) after which close friends and family stay for the actual cermony which can last for a while into the wee hours.

The other is the 'Reception' given by the groom's family at their place. This is usually an evening event like a ' high tea' where the the bride and groom ( now Mr & Mrs) are displayed / shown off /interduced to be congratulated or blessed. It ishere at the reception that the wedding cake has become an integral part.

Things change with times and people go for what is currently hot and in vogue and their budget but the above is a general picture in relation to a wedding cake and a punjabi wedding.

Edited by BBhasin (log)

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Tepee

Tepee

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I just went to look for Ms Kalita's article. Is it this one? Again, I don't see any reference to any wedding cakes. But, it's OK. I've a better understanding from the above posts already.

Edited by TP(M'sia) (log)

TPcal!

Food Pix (plus others)

Please take pictures of all the food you get to try (and if you can, the food at the next tables)............................Dejah

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Monica Bhide

Monica Bhide

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I just went to look for Ms Kalita's article. Is it this one? Again, I don't see any reference to any wedding cakes. But, it's OK. I've a better understanding from the above posts already.

Yes -- the cakes are in the Shaadi Book she mentions -- the book is for the local community here in DC

"Dream Shaadi," a Vienna-based wedding publication, went on sale earlier this year in South Asian grocery stores throughout the Washington region; shaadi means wedding in Hindi. Publisher Punita Arora said she published 15,000 such guides so Indian families could stop relying only on word of mouth or on traveling elsewhere to get their wedding goods. "

Monica Bhide

A Life of Spice

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