Coming home one night, Riya was not expecting to find the man who broke her heart sleeping on her floor! He's a guest at her roommate's wedding, so she's stuck with him 24/7—and the sparks are already flying! Six years ago Riya fell for Dhruv, whereas he didn't believe in love. Not then, not now—the other reason he's in India is to consider an arranged marriage! But as the monsoons start, Riya and Dhruv are forced to confront what drove them apart. Could this wedding fever be…contagious?

In the lush and vibrant village of Alleppey, Kerala, a wedding brings together a tapestry of traditions, love, and the ceaseless beauty of the monsoon rains. **"A Monsoon Wedding"** tells the heartwarming and evocative tale of Lakshmi and Ravi's journey to matrimonial bliss, intricately planned by the dedicated wedding planner, Aisha. Aisha, a meticulous and creative wedding planner from Mumbai, arrives in Alleppey with the task of orchestrating the perfect wedding for Lakshmi and Ravi. Her initial days are filled with challenges as she navigates through the nuances of Kerala's traditions and the unpredictable monsoon weather. The story unfolds with Aisha immersing herself in the local culture, forming deep bonds with the Nair family and the villagers who are as integral to the celebration as the rituals themselves. Throughout her journey, Aisha encounters a series of heartfelt and enriching experiences. She collaborates with Radhakrishnan, a revered local musician, to weave the soul of Kerala’s music into the wedding ceremonies. With Sundar, the skilled florist, she crafts a floral wonderland that blends traditional and contemporary elements, transforming the venue into a breathtaking celebration of nature and culture. Ananya, a talented artisan, helps Aisha incorporate traditional crafts into the decor, adding authenticity and charm to the wedding. As the wedding day approaches, the monsoon rains become both a challenge and a blessing, imbuing the celebration with a unique magic. The ceremony itself is a grand yet intimate affair, filled with traditional rituals, heartfelt emotions, and the vibrant sounds of local music. Despite the rain, or perhaps because of it, the wedding becomes a testament to resilience, love, and the enduring beauty of tradition. The narrative reaches its zenith with the wedding ceremony, where Lakshmi and Ravi exchange vows amidst the lush, rain-kissed landscape of Alleppey. The monsoon, far from being a hindrance, enhances the romance and mystique of the occasion, symbolizing the life-giving force that nourishes both the land and the human spirit. Aisha's journey culminates in a profound sense of accomplishment and connection, as she helps create a wedding that is not just a union of two hearts, but a celebration of the rich cultural heritage of Kerala. As the rain-soaked celebration concludes, Aisha reflects on her time in Alleppey, filled with gratitude for the experiences and relationships she has formed. The story leaves readers with a sense of peace and fulfillment, echoing the gentle promise of new beginnings brought by the monsoon. "A Monsoon Wedding" is a story of love, tradition, and the magic of the monsoon, beautifully capturing the essence of Kerala's culture and the timeless beauty of a wedding that becomes a cherished memory for all who are part of it.

This book offers an in-depth look at the ways in which technology, travel, and globalization have altered traditional patterns of immigration for South Asians who live and work in the United States, and explains how their popular cultural practices and aesthetic desires are fulfilled. They are presented as the twenty-first century’s “new cosmopolitans”: flexible enough to adjust to globalization’s economic, political, and cultural imperatives. They are thus uniquely adaptable to the mainstream cultures of the United States, but also vulnerable in a period when nationalism and security have become tools to maintain traditional power relations in a changing world.

Love, lust and hope envelop an upper middle-class Indian family and their world-wide guests as they celebrate for four days the arranged marriage of their daughter to an East Indian man from Texas.

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Bollywood Weddings examines how second-generation Indian-American Hindus of the middle and upper classes negotiate courtship and wedding rituals. Kavita Ramdya integrates the stories of twenty couples, showing the ways and means by which a subcommunity falls in love and expresses their identity. She provides readers with a window into these Indian-American couples who are navigating identities through a major rite of passage in their lives-marriage. She affirms that this community flaunts all things Indian as a way to assert their American identity. Many of these couples are occasional Hindus, displaying their Hindu religious background only on important occasions. Instead of choosing either India or America, or arriving at a compromise between the two, this community embraces both cultures simultaneously.