South Asian Ketubot — The Next Generation of Ketubot

Jewish-Desi weddings used to be more common — in fact, Bombay used to have a thriving Jewish community once upon a time — but these days they are scarce, yet are making a slow comeback.

Historical Ketubot from pre-partition India exhibit all the charm and magic of the area. Upper class couples loved to display their opulence by having the artwork and borders gilded with real gold. Delicate drawings of exotic animals native to the region, like tigers and elephants, were a frequent feature. But perhaps the most popular were peacocks. Elegant illustrations of peacocks with tails in all shades of blue and green exuded grace and royalty.

A large majority of South Asian Jews have moved over the west, and younger generations are left with little to tie them to their ancestry. However, many young couples have embraced Desi-inspired ketubahs to pay homage to their forefathers and the culture which runs in their blood.

Jewish-desi weddings are a rare sight, but a wonderful one. The fusion of Jewish and Desi cultures are fascinating. Engulfed in color and enchantment, guests remember the wedding festivities for a lifetime. With the world more connected than ever, interfaith or intercultural weddings with a South Asian touch is becoming more common. Especially in metropolitan areas, where the two communities find a lot in common between the two cultures.

South Asian-inspired art is a great way to celebrate the merging of different cultures together. If you want to combine Indian art, Pakistani art, or Bengali art into a Ketubah — we would love to create that for you. Just contact us and we will create the ketubah of your dreams.

Ketubahs inspired by ethnic traditions embrace a lot of color and feature elements of the vibrant culture. Henna designs or art from the Mughal era are subtly weaved into the Ketubah’s decor with Jewish elements uniting two ancient societies as one.

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