A DAY I REMEMBER

Resplendent in his turban and embroidered coat, Swayam, a young Indian boy, acts as the markundi (special attendant) for his uncle’s wedding.

This book documents a real Hindu wedding that took place in eastern India. A short note explains that the traditional customs are blended with Bollywood style, as manifested in the different types of music played. Swayam describes Mangan, the day before the nuptials, when women have red dye (alata) painted on their feet, and girls have henna designs inked on their hands. Then he recounts the rest of the wedding activities in the villages of the groom and bride. Most of the color photos, some staged and some unposed, are attractive, but a few are dark. They are laid out on intensely colored orange and yellow glossy paper, with a wine-colored border containing gold designs, echoing the colors of the bride’s sari and Swayam’s coat. There is no glossary, but Hindi words are defined within the text, although there are no pronunciation guides. As this photo essay has no reference to ordinary daily living, this could be used to supplement a unit about India, complement a multicultural unit about weddings and other traditional customs, or serve as an introduction for children about to attend a Hindu wedding.

Let the festivities begin! (Informational picture book. 5-9)