Engagement ceremony
Asa Watten and Sony Rane
Solon, Ohio
4 August 2013
What you are seeing in this photo: it’s traditional for many Hindu-Indians to exchange rings at an engagement ceremony called Sakar Puda (literal translated as “sugar packet”). Rings are typically not exchanged at the wedding. Instead, where Sony is from (Maharashtra) grooms give a gold necklace with black beads (called a Mangalsutra). Our brief Sakar Puda also included an exchange of new clothes (Sony is wearing the sari Carla bought her in the photo) and a gift of a coconut and five different fruits. Other women in the community also gave Sony fruits and rice as a blessing and symbol of prosperity. –Asa
