During the first session, we sat through in introductory lecture, took a chai break, formed teams, and were assigned our project. My team’s project assignment is E-Tongue, a portable, lightweight, easy to use handheld device for the testing of heavy metals in liquids.

All in all, it was a great first session. But perhaps the most interesting moment of our first day of class was an impromptu invitation to a traditional Indian wedding. At lunchtime, we took a bus to the wedding venue, which was filled with three thousand friends and family members of the bride and groom. The women were dressed beautifully in brightly colored clothing, while the men were neatly groomed and wore more conservative clothing. We were given a fistful of flower petals as we entered the ceremony hall, which we later threw forward in unison, a metaphor for wishing luck to the newlyweds. A band played loudly, music echoing through the building, as wedding-goers engaged in lively conversation.

The main hall was packed with hundreds of people, with even more outside and in additional rooms.

Family and friends gathered to celebrate the union of the happy couple.

After wishing the couple a “happy married life”, we were invited downstairs to take part in the wedding feast. It’s difficult to describe the food, but to say that it overwhelmed the taste buds with delicious traditional Indian flavor. While I cannot pronounce any of the foods I was served, I made it a point to try everything available. Except for the buttermilk. That’s where I draw the line.