 is to be at a Kashmiri wedding. I've had the privilege of coming to Kashmir many times. My work as a film actor, my concerns as a social and political activist have brought me to Kashmir many times. Each time I continue to be overwhelmed by its beauty. But what I find even more fascinating is its culture and what better place to witness folk culture at its best than at a Kashmiri wedding. Times were not always so lavish though. A few decades ago, life here was about staying alive, not only for those who lived on boats but for the vast majority of Kashmiris. Earlier there was the upper class and there was the rest of us because the rich could afford certain things which the poor ones could not. In the villages land reform completely changed things. For example, before the land reform if a farmer had to get married, he would perhaps one have to take a loan from the landlord. This entire Kashmiri wedding which was essentially an urban and a rich event that was limited to the urban class and the rich class. The landed aristocracy was accessible to a common farmer. Essentially now weddings are more about establishing your status in society. I grew up in an atmosphere that celebrates India's pluralism and her composite culture. And that's why I find the social and religious practices of Kashmir so fascinating. Three great religions Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism have flowered here and each is absorbed elements from the other. The weddings of Kashmir's Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs are quite similar and for centuries they have participated in each other's wedding celebrations. There are many things that are very recent in Kashmiri weddings. I mean things like 40 dishes that are served or like 10 kinds of dishes made of chicken or 10 vegetables or an array of desserts like fruit creams and ice creams and souffles and whatever. These are all recent things. These are also part of the affluence that has come into society over the last couple of decades. Mushtaba's family was among the privileged few even in the old days. So his sister Tabish had a really traditional Kashmiri wedding. Princess at her new home, her mother-in-law presented Tabish jewelry when she unveiled her as much for its color, music, spirituality and most of all its joyful sense of community. There are few events to compare with the Kashmiri wedding.