July 7, 2007 - Varanasi, India

"Let us be wiser after one hour."
~S.C. Goswamy

This auspicious day of 07.07.07 was filled with many adventures. Millions of weddings worldwide occurred, thousands in India, and we witnessed at least one hundred. Participating in a Hindi ceremony at sunset on The Ganges River, during a message having the woman inform me of my wedding date, and finally the most breath-taking, exotic wedding I have ever encountered.

While the groom was riding in on a white horse, surrounded by all this male friends dancing, I asked to take his picture. He said yes and then invited me to his wedding. Within minutes, I and a fellow Fulbrighter became honored guests.

I can't begin to describe the number of ceremonies, colors, and liveliness this wedding entailed. However, in reflection I am still amazed by how both families embraced our attendance.

Today was what I refer to as "sensory overload."