By Sebin MS | 12th April 2016 0 Comments

All you need to know about the wedding of the decade

Probably you are lying if you say that you have not heard about the enchanting Rs 55 crore wedding of Dr Ravi Pillai’s daughter Arathi to Kochi-based doctor Adithya Vishnu – an affair that redefined wedding celebrations in the state and took the marriage industry into a whole new level of grandeur and splendour. From the palace-like setup to the sparkling diamond-studded bride, the occasion was nothing short of a fairy tale. We are sure you have already had a peak into the festivities via all the forwarded messages that was bombing every phone that month. However, we have some more meat and we are happy to share it with you!

Setting the stage

The mammoth task was undertaken by Push Integrated Communications Pvt Ltd whose clientele includes some popular names as Kalyan Jewellers, Manappuram Gold Loan, Wrangler Jeans and Tata Consultancy Services. Oscar winning Indian film art director Sabu Cyril designed the wedding set and assembled it at the Asramam Ground in Kollam. The set was spread across 4,25,000 square feet including seating areas for VVIPs, family and friends, a wedding mandap and central stage, lounge areas, dining halls and exclusive entry and exit points. The stage was equipped with
the largest-ever LED screen that Kerala had ever seen! and this screen acted as the entry point for the bride, by splitting apart to allow her to walk onto the stage like a princess walking down an altar.

The Rs 20 crore set was the outcome of the efforts of 2,000 workers who laboriously worked around the clock to complete the magnificent set in 45 days. Reportedly, the set took a fortnight to be dismantled. One of the most striking features of the wedding was the mandap which was shaped like a lotus. It was powered by hydraulic machinery and also served as the stage for performing artists. Special music composed by music director Rupert Fernandes especially for the wedding was played every time the lotus opened and shut. The flowers that adorned the venue were another magnificent site, and very real! Several tonnes of orchids, of different varieties, were imported from Bangkok.

And what is a wedding without the feast! If so much of planning went for the wedding set alone, you can very well imagine how the food would have turned up. Cuisines from all over the world were prepared for the guests along with the traditional sadhya. The dining halls accommodated up to 7,000 guests at a time.

Ten thousand power lights and 200 chandeliers were used during the occasion. Apparently, this is how much the State’s electricity board uses to light up the city of Kollam for a whole week! Managing Director V.A Shrikumar of Push Integrated Communications Ltd says, “Our total power need was a stumbling 11.3 MV and arrangements were made to bring in generators from across India.”

More the Merrier

Of the 50,000 guests who were present, there were captains of industry, political leaders, movie stars, technocrats and diplomats from across the world including our Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Managing Director of EMKE Lulu Group of Companies M A Yusuf Ali and Actor Mohanlal to name a few. A notable feature of the surreal affair was the inculcation of our rich heritage and culture which was displayed through dance and music performances. Singer Gayathri gave an auspicious beginning with the invocation of the gods after which our beloved Actress Manju Warrier

performed a Kuchipudi recital. Shobana’s graceful Sita Kalyanam repertoire in Bharatanatyam was followed by “The Rhythm of the Forest” where 400 dancers displayed a spectrum of Keralite dance forms in a single choreography. It also featured 50 Mohiniyattam and 12 Kathakali performances as part of the wedding entourage along with the traditional Pancha Vadyam and Nadaswaram musicians. Stephen Devassy cast his spell on the audience with his performance after the wedding. The event was hosted by MC Ranjini Haridas.

The Number Crunch

Enough of the numbers and the lists, we think we made our point. The marriage was undoubtedly one of the biggest weddings that Kerala has ever witnessed. However, this does not come as a surprise to our country that holds the Guinness World Record for the Most Expensive Wedding when steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal’s daughter married Investment Banker Amit Bhatia in 2004. a staggering $60 million was reportedly spent on the wedding. That said, Dr Pillai has set up some major goals with his daughter’s wedding. Controversies have been going rounds debating
if this entire extravaganza was necessary. But hey – it’s his money, his daughter, his wish. Here is wishing the couple a wonderful life ahead.

Words by Amritha Srikumar      Photos from Various Sources