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.

Are you ready and excited to start designing your wedding? Keep this in mind: the most important thing is to enjoy this wonderful process. This is an exciting beginning of a wonderful life. Your wedding week is a celebration, so let's make planning it a celebration as well by incorporating the things you cherish the most. Let's make your big day uniquely yours so it leaves behind cherished memories. As you begin planning, take it easy and go chapter by chapter. Start formulating your own ideas of what your wedding will be. The key is never to become overwhelmed. We love the idea of having an inspiration board to keep track of your wedding ideas so you can share them with your decorator, florist, or planner. Most importantly, give yourself some time off occasionally from planning. That will help you be relaxed and refreshed and see things with a clearer view. Trust your vendors to handle the details. You'll be married and riding into the sunset before you know it. In the meantime, you have some planning to do. Cheers!

Embark on a captivating journey through the kaleidoscope of Indian wedding traditions with "From Haldi to Honeymoon." This comprehensive guide offers an immersive exploration of the rich tapestry that weaves together the diverse rituals and customs embedded in the fabric of Indian matrimonial celebrations. Delve into the heart of cultural significance as you unravel the pages, beginning with the pre-wedding rituals like the vibrant Haldi ceremony and moving through the sacred vows of the wedding ceremony steeped in Vedic traditions. Traverse the labyrinth of post-wedding customs, savor the opulence of attire and jewelry, and get lost in the enchanting cadence of music, dance, and decor that characterize Indian nuptials. Discover the symphony of flavors in the extensive chapter dedicated to the culinary delights of Indian weddings, from traditional feasts to modern culinary innovations. Immerse yourself in the intricacies of wedding invitations and stationery, and gain valuable insights into managing finances and budgeting for the grand celebration. As the narrative unfolds, witness the evolution of Indian weddings through Chapter 10, exploring modern trends and innovations that are reshaping the landscape of the wedding industry. Navigate the delicate nuances of cultural sensitivities and overcome challenges with grace in Chapter 11. "From Haldi to Honeymoon" is not just a book; it's an odyssey, a visual and intellectual feast that captures the essence of Indian weddings in all their splendor. Whether you're a bride-to-be, a cultural enthusiast, or simply a lover of vibrant traditions, this book promises to be your ultimate guide, offering a panoramic view of the sacred and celebratory moments that define the journey from Haldi to Honeymoon.

This is the first book to tackle the diverse styles and multiple histories of popular musics in India. It brings together fourteen of the world's leading scholars on Indian popular music to contribute chapters on a range of topics from the classic songs of Bollywood to contemporary remixes, summarized by a reflective afterword by popular music scholar Timothy Taylor. The chapters in this volume address the impact of media and technology on contemporary music, the variety of industrial developments and contexts for Indian popular music, and historical trends in popular music development both before and after the Indian Independence in 1947. The book identifies new ways of engaging popular music in India beyond the Bollywood musical canon, and offers several case studies of local and regional styles of music. The contributors address the subcontinent's historical relationships with colonialism, the transnational market economies, local governmental factors, international conventions, and a host of other circumstances to shed light on the development of popular music throughout India. To illustrate each chapter author's points, and to make available music not easily accessible in North America, the book features an Oxford web music companion website of audio and video tracks.

Bollywood’s New Woman examines Bollywood’s construction and presentation of the Indian Woman since the 1990s. The groundbreaking collection illuminates the contexts and contours of this contemporary figure that has been identified in sociological and historical discourses as the “New Woman.” On the one hand, this figure is a variant of the fin de siècle phenomenon of the “New Woman” in the United Kingdom and the United States. In the Indian context, the New Woman is a distinct articulation resulting from the nation’s tryst with neoliberal reform, consolidation of the middle class, and the ascendency of aggressive Hindu Right politics.

This book interrogates the hyper-visibility and stubborn endurance of the wedding spectacle across media and culture in the current climate. The wide-ranging chapters consider why the symbolic power of weddings is intensifying at a time when marriage as an institution appears to be in decline – and they offer new insights into the shifting and complex gender politics of contemporary culture. The collection is a feminist project but does not straight-forwardly renounce the wedding spectacle. Rather, the diverse contributions offer close analyses of the myriad forms and practices of the wedding spectacle, from reality television and cinematic film to wedding videography and bridal boutiques. Drawing on feminist and queer theory, the chapters illuminate the paradoxes, contradictions, disappointments, cruelties and pleasures that are intimately bound up with the wedding spectacle. Written by leading and emerging feminist scholars, the chapters range across different national and cultural contexts to explore how the gender politics of weddings are changing and adapting to a new cultural and social landscape. This in-depth analysis of the wedding spectacle will appeal to academics and researchers in the fields of gender and mass media, cultural studies, feminist studies, and intercultural communication.