There is much to be said for the big fat Indian wedding. It’s never just about the celebration or meeting family and friends from across the world—it’s equally about the wedding feasts on offer. If you want a true taste of India, you need to attend an Indian wedding.. We don’t do things by half-measures over here, and we don’t believe in the European or American tradition of asking guests beforehand whether they would prefer the chicken or the fish. At an Indian wedding, you may get served both, no need to choose.. Of course, the wedding feast has evolved: from the days when we were young and marriageable, to now, when our children (or in my case, my friend’s children) are of marriageable age.. One of my earliest memories of a wedding feast is my Marwari friend’s siblings’ weddings. Marwaris are traditionally vegetarian—and for a Bengali, this can be daunting. Especially in our younger days, when we hadn’t developed a love for vegetables, and thought good food meant as much meat, fish and prawns as you could stomach.. But Calcutta Marwari weddings could convert the most hardcore carnivore. Decades ago, I remember a feast featuring the finest Italian, Chinese, and, of course, Indian cuisine—all vegetarian, cooked by Munna Maharaj, who specialised in vegetarian feasts. The desserts were stupendous, and not limited to just the Indian plethora of mithai—the finest strawberry shortcakes, millefeuille, and tiramisu were on offer. You could eat until you burst.. Another wedding that has stayed with me is my Parsi friend’s sister’s wedding. The Parsis, like the Bengalis, eat their feasts course by course, seated at long wooden tables, facing forward, focused on the food. The table is laid with banana leaves, which serve as plates. You are served each course of the most delicious Parsi cuisine you can imagine, usually prepared by a Parsi caterer. A true Parsi bhonu or feast.. Any large wedding today, thanks to the multiple kitchens at any hotel worth its salt, will serve you a plethora of cuisines. (Photo: Freepik/AI-generated). I was lucky enough to have a feast cooked by legendary caterer Tanaz Godiwala. A statue should be erected in her honour. We were served Saas Ni Macchi (fish cooked in a white vinegar-flour sauce), Dabba Gosht, Mutton Pulao, Salli Murghi (a piquant chicken with crisply fried potato juliennes), Akuri (creamy scrambled eggs), Topli nu Paneer (an interesting salty paneer which is set in small wicker baskets), and the Parsi take on caramel custard, Lagan Nu Custard.. Story continues below this ad. The Bengali wedding—which is now more of a buffet, as there are so many guests that it is nearly impossible to seat them at long tables and serve them course by course—is worth attending. The traditional Bengali wedding feast, like the one my aunt had 20 years ago, would have guests sitting at long tables similar to the Parsi feast. Seats are placed on only one side of the table, so you face forward, and the ot
