Lavish Punjabi weddings in Ludhiana with their ostentatious spread and a bright façade attracted gatecrashers. The gourmet meal was a big draw for students who had to eat the bland mess food. Back in 2000 when I joined College of Veterinary Sciences in PAU I was introduced to a new, though vaguely familiar term called ‘tournament’. It was a University lingo for gatecrashing weddings in the locality.Students dressed up in their best attires would sneak into weddings to enjoy a hearty meal. My classmates joined the bandwagon and were soon initiated into the cult and became able pupils of accommodating seniors who were experts in gatecrashing weddings.
There was an unspoken rule to steer clear of booze at such uninvited sojourns. Because once or twice those who indulged in booze lost their senses and crossed the line by dancing with the family members. This particular activity attracted attention and the boys were questioned about their antecedents. Their hesitation and inability to name any family member gave an indication that they were uninvited guests. Those boys were given a sound thrashing and reported to the Dean who gave them severe punishment.
This rule was relayed to the first-year students as well and was religiously followed by them. The motto was simple. Be confident, reticent and concentrate on food. Apart from booze, beautiful girls who paraded the venue in gorgeous attires were a huge attraction for many. Some of them got smitten by such damsels and followed them like a love-struck puppy only to be rebuffed. Such Romeos were potential threats and were discouraged by the students to accompany them while gatecrashing.
One of my classmates, Aman, was one such admirer who would be awestruck by the beauty of brides and could not resist complementing them before leaving the venue. On one such wedding he was mesmerised by the bride. When the others went towards the food counter he could not contain himself and reached the stage where the bride and the groom were seated. After shaking hands with the groom, he complimented his bride by saying, “Bhaiyya, bhabhi bahut sunder hai.” The shy bride smiled as the groom appeared confused. He called one of his family members on stage. Before further discussion, the boys noticed Aman and they rescued him in a jiffy and left from the venue.