Sunday, September 14, 2008

Engagement Ceremony - Ann-Marie & Ragunath

It was a union of two cultures and religions - Kadazan-Catholic and Malayalee-Hindu. The couple met here in Kuala Lumpur and the engagement ceremony was held all the way in Ann-Marie's quaint little hometown in Papar which is just about 40km from Kota Kinabalu.


Ragunath's father giving a crash course Malayalee-Hindu engagement ceremony lesson to Ann-Marie family and relatives - the gifts need to face east and the boy's family will have to leave before a certain hour of the day.


The beautiful Ann-Marie in Kadazan Papar costume sitting with her relatives. Kadazan costume is made of black velvet and embroidered with colourful sequence and the Kadazan Papar version is usually worn with a white blouse inside. She's also using a pair of spiral silver bracelet called tiningkokos and a hip belt called tangkong.


Ragunath was also made to wear a Kadazan costume, assisted by Ann-Marie's sister.


Ann-Marie's sister putting a Kadazan headdress called siga for Ragunath while Ann-Marie, Ragunath's mother and grandmother were looking on.


Ann-Marie's father putting kunkuma on Ragunath's arm. Kunkuma is a red powder made of turmeric and lime and it contains cooling properties. It was the first time Ann-Marie's father putting kunkuma on someone - actually, it was his first time touching kunkuma ever - so he got so nervous that his hands were shivering.


Ragunath's father putting kunkuma on Ann-Marie's father's forehead.


In Hindu ceremony, saree is part of the engagement gifts from the groom to the bride. The bride will then change into the saree before the exchange of the engagement ring. Here, Ann-Marie is being accompanied by Ragunath's grandmother after putting on the newly presented saree.


Ann-Marie is about to slip on the engagement ring


Ragunath sprinkling holy water on his fiancé while Ragunath's father is teasing them.


Ann-Marie hand feeding a small portion of her engagement cake to her mother who thought it was too sweet.


Sweet, isn't it?

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