Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue … something Hindu?
Liz Hurley, the one-time face of Estee Lauder, and Arun Nayar’s Hindu wedding has already stirred controversy amongst Hindu traditionalists for being performed after the London-based Christian rite, but one Indian man is taking it one step further. According to Access Hollywood, via MSNBC.com, the man, who knows neither bride nor groom, is trying to have their Indian nuptials declared illegal on the following grounds:
Apparently, the preternaturally good looking couple could “face arrest charges of a ‘deliberate and malicious act’ against the religion.” To make matters worse, Britain’s Sunday Mirror reports that Nayar’s father is disowning his son due to the couple placing “more importance on showing off than their own family.”
An Indian court will hear testimony, and the couple could face up to three years in prison. Happiest day of Hurleys life, indeed. So you tell me: Are the Hindus who are stirring up the controversy making way too much out of this, or did the couple really cross some important faith and culture lines?
posted April 15, 2007 at 3:23 pm
Whether or not the couple crossed lines, it is their wedding, and it’s for themselves and their families to decide. My understanding is that Nayar is himself Hindu, so it’s not the same as two non-Hindus deciding to appropriate the Hindu wedding because it’s trendy. At worst, they were misinformed about a few aspects of the genuine Hindu cultural tradition; they may have also tried to incorporate some of Hurley’s Western traditions (alcohol, shoes, kissing). But there is no “deliberate and malicious act” against anybody happening here.
posted April 15, 2007 at 11:14 pm
It doesn’t matter what you or me think, or for that matter what the couple thinks; it only matters whether Hindus think that these two have offended their religion. Let the trial begin, the legal system being so incredibly slow that the trial may outlast the marriage anyway. And, by the way, I am still on the campaign to fire Ellen Leventry.>
posted April 17, 2007 at 3:11 pm
Showing disrespect for the local customs and religion is nothing but the arrogance. It is a matter of mindset. If a person comes nude, had some mild sexual activities, smoke marijuana and bring a snake (not harmful) in a cage to the Christian wedding in USA, how people will feel? Social customs acceptable at one place, may not be acceptable at other place. I believe the idea is not to declare nutile wedding but to bring the arrogance in the limelight.>
posted May 29, 2007 at 8:14 pm
This is total stupidy. I am a born hindu. Hindu women have always shown too much skin when wearing their saires.I would like to know the ages of these people who are making this such a fuss. you see my grandsparents were almost touching their 100 years and died only 6 years ago, they never made any comments.about the way we wear our saries. Hiduism in this context is a structure and not a cultue. I find nowadays people want to use any forum to make a political satatement. This is more about an Eastern man marring a Western woman. These people shoud find more productive and benificial things to do with their lives and time. Now as far as the shoe issue, well maybe these people need to be educated. bare feet has more germs than shoes. In mthe old days people were too poor to wear shoes so it became a standard pratice. There is no written rule that you must be bare feet.