We Hegdes from Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Shimoga districts of Karnataka belong to a brahmin sub sect called Havyaka Brahmins. We have some traditions of our own, a language of our own - which is slightly different from kannada. But I am not an authority on the subject, nor have I read any book on comparative analysis of Karnataka brahmin traditions. And as most modern secular Hindus I find it more amusing to make fun of our traditions rather than celebrating them - may be because I do not understand it completely. I attended a marriage yesterday. So let us talk about few of rituals in this marriage ceremony. On the previous day of the marriage called Naandi - which means beginning of any good thing. The groom will wear a simple dress, and a wooden footwear (since we can't conjure up wooden paduka so easily, he will wear foot-wear made from dried skin of areca flower) and with a sack on his shoulder, will declare that he will go to Kashi. Here he is saying, he wants to...