I never use Maharaniweddings.com as my personal soap box, but when I saw this Huffington Post Article ridiculing Veni, a gorgeous and accomplished Maharani, I simply could not hold my tongue. My mama bear instincts came out, and I wanted to leap through my computer screen to protect her. I started banging away, and I while I would write my thoughts in a comment on the actual article, I have been notified by numerous photographers that the Huffington Post is refusing to let comments that disagree with the article through, even though they don’t contain profanity or offensive language.
I don't need to tell all of you that this article is short-sighted and uninformed. If you look through our collection of over 2500 Indian weddings, you will see that a bare midriff is part of a traditional Indian garment, in much the same way a veil is often a part of a traditional Western wedding. Brides aren’t being “provocative or sexy”, they are just wearing a lengha (which is worn at mehndis, garbas, the ceremony, nikkahs and receptions, and, yes, sometimes even at "religious Hindi ceremon(ies) in which elaborate saris are the norm"). If you were to look at the bride’s mom and all of the other ladies better known as Aunties present (most in their 50s and 60s) you will see that they also proudly bare their midriffs, not because they are trying to be "highly sexualized" as Ms. Zohn asserts, but because it's what ladies wear to weddings!
There are a dozen things that rubbed me the wrong way about “culture columnist" Patricia Zohn’s article, but at the top of the list was that she bothered Maharani Veni on her honeymoon, only to place ill-informed judgement on her choice of reception lengha. As a Maharani who wore a bare midriff and a traditional gown for my wedding day, and then, yes, put on Lilly P for my day-after-brunch, shame on you. Weddings are about celebrating your life and your love, and every Maharani regardless of race, religion, background, anything, should be able to express herself as a bride in any form that she chooses.
Veni, you are a stunning bride and, I don't need to tell you, we are so happy to have you represent all of us Maharanis.