(the groom’s grand arrival, often on a horse or elephant) sets a festive tone before the solemnity begins. The core ritual—the

The Vidaai is the only moment in the entire week where the performance stops. The music shuts off. The groom is ignored. The bride’s mother usually collapses in the driveway. This ritual acknowledges the truth that most cultures hide: Marriage is a death. It is the death of the old family unit. The bride is a stranger entering a new home. The ritual forces everyone to grieve that loss publicly so that they can move forward without bitterness.