Why on earth should I wear a saree for my wedding?

I have somehow always posed this question to myself and the ROW (Rest of the world) and somehow I have always been reprimanded for the harmless little question threatening to rock the very fundamentals of the “tradition” and “value systems” of a cult. Again, let me ask you the same damn question. Why should I wear a saree for my wedding? Those six (or in some phenomenally varied cult cases, nine) yards of silk spewn around me like I were a spindle across which the thread bobs and chokes to make me suffocate on my own wedding? Well, I did hear a mouthful when I asked the same question back home. So I thought I could safely ask you.

Yeah yeah I know traditions are meant to be followed. “Tradition”, the very genesis symbolizes this which I picked up from Wiki “A tradition is a belief or behavior passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes (like lawyer wigs or military officer spurs), but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings. Traditions can persist and evolve for thousands of years—the word "tradition" itself derives from the Latin tradere or traderer literally meaning to transmit, to hand over, to give for safekeeping.” Ah! Wiki is a savior. Just because something was a way of life doesn’t mean it has to be necessarily followed. That’s what it says right? Ask anybody (in fact ask yourselves). Would you still trot around in a bear flesh or raw tiger skin (unless you are vying at an exquisite piece of overpriced Gucci or a Prada) just because it was how the “tradition” was way back then? Definitely not. Anyway, coming back to the topic. Jeez this seems hard. You know this is the problem. I have heard so many pros about draping a saree and the very fact that am questioning this seems so quizzical, like am trying to be rebellious for the sake of it. And worst of all, I can’t really think much. When I was just attempting to write this piece of section, I happened to ask a few friends for a few pointers. All of them. Every single one of them said “Oh God Sarees are the in thing”, “Name one girl who isn’t hot when she is draped in a saree” “Sarees are so in vogue” and finally “Dude what is wrong with you?” The traitors! Anyway, the thing is Sarees are not my thing. I was born a girl but reared as a boy. Jumping walls, playing GI Joe, trading WWF Cards, being besties with guys has been the story of my life. So yeah. It is creepy to imagine myself in a long straight piece of cloth knotted and tied with the aid of more cloth in the most uncomfortable of places is something that is going to be a bit of a situation for me when my getting married seems to be a little bit of a bigger shock. Somehow, probably due to all the westernization I became this weird you may say but to quote myself in French, “C’est moi” (That’s me!)

I sure hope that there are a few of you who would rather get married happily in a pair of Levis’ Denim replacing Devagiri and embrace Reebok rather than Raw Silk. For all those who prefer a Khakhi over Kanjivaram and simple tees over Sabyasachi (Damn! I can’t even get to pronounce half the types), try crying out to your bosses (aka elders at home). It’s high time we learn to respect what we want and “Evolve” as a race which respects it’s space and learns to adopt certain new practices as we strive to achieve a balance. Unless we ask for it, unless we cry for our independence we wouldn’t get it.
Saree for my wedding? Well. Hope not :)