Jolie-Pitt Hindu wedding tickles Canada

TORONTO - The reported decision by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to have a Hindu wedding in an ashram in Rajasthan next year to formalize their live-in relationship has drawn curious reaction from the Canadian media and readers.

Isn’t Hollywood’s hottest couple, like other celebrities, trying to appropriating Hindu culture to make their wedding look glamourous? asks the Globe and Mail in its lifestyle section.

“Actually, it all makes sense,” it says.

“You see, the Hindu priest who will be front and centre at the wedding is reported to have saved Brangelina’s relationship through couples’ yoga and meditation, and so the famous couple is going to get hitched at his ashram.”

Brad and Angie aren’t the only ones who are apparently bored by the traditional white wedding and lured by the exoticism of India, the paper said, adding that Hinduism is more than meditation and couples’ yoga.

Referring to the October wedding of singer Katy Perry and actor Russell Brand at a luxury resort in India to keep their ceremonies “private and spiritual”, the paper said “luxury resorts always offer the best spiritual ceremonies. Everybody knows that.”

But “is it okay for a couple to appropriate a culture they have pretty much zero connection to in order to make their nuptials glamorous?”

Readers’ reaction was equally hilarious.

“Maybe the locals will think it’s tacky and feel a bit offended, or maybe they’ll feel honoured that two huge celebrities chose their home for such a special occasion. Who knows. But I can see why western people would want to

add a bit of spice to their weddings; our solemn white church affairs are deathly boring,” said one reader.

“It’s probably a search (by the couple) for something authentic. While this appears as an unauthentic cultural appropriation, its probably the first breath of fresh air they will experience outside of refugee camps,” wrote another.

Yet another one fed up with western traditions said, “Indian weddings aren’t bad - these types of weddings are popular because they tend to be non-religious in the sense that they are more secular and spiritual - not preachy and consigning you to a life of guilt under some repressive punitive deity.”

And someone posed this question, “Why not a traditional Hindu wedding? They are glamorous and festive even if they’re small. It’s all about celebration, bright colours and spirituality. I love hearing the Vedic mantras and seeing the couple walk around the sacred fire. Very romantic and powerful. Bonus for the bride: full-on glamour from head-to-toe even if it’s just a simple red sari. Can’t wait to see the picture (if this is true). I would think that comedienne’s horrible comments pushed these two to finally wed.”

According to reports, the Hollywood couple will wed at the Jodhpur ashram of their spiritual guru Ram Lal Siyag who introduced them to Hindu mantras for peace and harmony.

(Gurmukh Singh can be contacted at gurmukh.s@ians.in)