Culture, style & spirituality collide at Mpule’s wedding

Former Miss Universe Mpule Kwelagobe got married to the love of her life Abhijoy Ghandi at the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Phase 2 on Tuesday morning. The Hindu wedding ceremony was a spectacle to behold; throbbing with Indian culture and diversity. 

The ceremony was more than bringing Ghandi and Kwelagobe together as husband and wife. It was also truly a celebration of culture infusion, family and love with a spiritual setting that took the invited guests’ breaths away. A tasteful reverie of paradise, the ceremony was colourful with Indian wedding rituals as well as music. The two were married under a Mandap; otherwise known as a wedding canopy which is regarded as a focus of Hindu wedding ceremonies.  The Mandap was magnificently decorated with flowers and draperies and it accommodated both the bride and groom’s families. According to the national secretary of ISKCON Botswana, Devakinandan Das, the four pillars of the Mandap represent the four holy Vedic scriptures and the parents whose love supports the newlyweds.

The two love birds were attired in traditional Indian wedding costumes that gave guests a special thrill. Kwelagobe’s wedding dress was quite lavish and rich. She opted for a modern peach gown with a touch of gold. What also caught the eye were the gown’s impressive embellishments, complex embroidery and beads which popped out and gave the queen of the universe a breathtaking look.  She also put on a headscarf that covered part of her head revealing her sleek black hair which was held perfectly by shimmering hair-band jewellery.

Part of her style was the artistic paintings and tattoos in her arms that Das said were applied two days before the ceremony. “Henna tattoos are considered among the most auspicious ‘ornaments’ of a married Hindu woman. They are of deeper significance,” said Das adding that application of the drawings can also prevent too much stress because it cools the body and keeps the nerves from becoming tense due to excitement and anxiety. Kwelagobe’s decorated hands were strikingly beautiful.  Ghandi’s wedding attire was just as imperial and grand, bearing an appealing cream colour.

Spirituality was heavenly observed at the ceremony. Notable ritual observation was when the couple took the saptapadi, or seven steps, as they vowed to support each other and live happily together. The ceremony culminated with Ghandi applying vermillion or red pigment to Kwelagobe’s forehead, welcoming her as his partner for life. The couple finally wore floral garlands around their necks to symbolise their acceptance of each other. To say the ceremony was divine would be an understatement. Culture and style came together at this ceremony and it was indeed a chock full of cultural gorgeousness.