Indians are famous for organizing grand, colorful, and spontaneous weddings, but at times, it is not the grand things that make one remember the occasion but the simple ones that happen spontaneously. This has happened in Gujarat where a video of a groom has gone viral due to an unforeseen act performed by him while on the way to his wedding.
In the video, a groom was seen travelling in a beautifully decorated car. On his way to the wedding, he saw a group of foreigners who were travelling in an open vehicle next to him. Instead of just waving to them and leaving, he handed out a wedding invitation card.
The tourists, who were taken aback at first, did not take long to accept the invitation. The whole event was captured on video by one of the tourists, while others looked closely at the intricately designed wedding card that had Indian designs like elephants and palaces.
While the event itself may have been just a brief few seconds long, internet audiences feel that it captured an aspect of India that tourists do not forget even long after the end of their visit, not the monuments or schedules, but the human interaction.
What made the video resonate so widely was the sheer spontaneity of the moment. There was no formal introduction, no planning, and no expectation attached to the invitation. It was simply a natural act of inclusion by someone experiencing what was likely one of the most important moments of his life.
“Scan the QR code, you will get the location,” the groom said while handing out the wedding invite.
To many social media followers, it was the essence of Atithi Devo Bhava, the age-old Indian philosophy which means “Guest is God.” Although the term is used extensively in tourism advertisements, events such as these remind one of how ingrained the culture of hospitality still is in daily Indian life, especially on occasions like weddings and festivals when strangers are readily welcomed to partake in the festivities without any reservations.
The Indian wedding itself has become a cultural phenomenon that attracts foreign tourists. In regions ranging from Rajasthan to Gujarat to Punjab, tourists can often be seen watching wedding parties walk down roads packed with music, dance, and people dressed in festive clothes. On certain occasions, tourists have even been found joining the party for a while.
There is no credit given to the person who initially posted the video on Instagram. Nevertheless, the video was re-posted by @dailybrewindia on Instagram.
The video represents more than just an anecdote associated with travelling. In the times when many people plan travelling adventures with the purpose of sharing them on social networks, such unexpected events acquire an extra value. Travellers see these events as stories of their travels, and locals see these stories as an example of how easy it is to change visitors' opinion of the city through small but heartful actions.
The video also demonstrates interest among foreigners in discovering the authentic life of Indians. Today's tourists want not only to visit famous tourist attractions and museums but also to get closer to the traditional lifestyle of residents of the destination.