Anshuman Jha on Maithil wedding with Sierra: We had a parallel translation of the mantras in English

Four months after their white wedding in the US, actor Anshuman Jha and American triathlete, vegan chef and yoga instructor Sierra Winters got hitched once again in India, following the traditions of a Maithil wedding. “Vedic wedding was always on the cards for us, but Covid and visa issues restricted the celebrations last year,” says Jha, who believes in keeping the traditions alive because “there is deeper meaning in all our Vedic customs”.

“Sierra is actually more Indian than most people that I know. She went through every custom in totality. We both even did the no-salt fast for four days after our wedding to culminate the ceremony. She loves and respects India and its traditions immensely; she had a blast at the haldi, mehendi and sangeet,” Jha elaborates on all the rituals that the couple followed during the ceremonies and how his wife, Winters, liked them.

Not just Winters, but her family was equally curious and loved everything about the Indian wedding, reveals Jha. “They understood some of the traditions by themselves. For the rest, we had a parallel translation of the mantras being recited into English, as we wanted everyone to understand what was being said so that we lived up to the sacred vows we took. After the wedding, the two of us went and fed jaggery to the cows at the Govardhan Eco Village (Maharashtra). And that was an incredible experience,” the Lakadbaggha actor tells us.

Before exchanging rings last year, Jha and Winters were in a “long-distance relationship for more than three years”.

The two also come from completely different cultural backgrounds. Sharing how they kept the spark alive, Jha says, “We hand wrote letters and sent them via post. It took 10-14 days for them to reach but the joy was in the wait… the anticipation. There is a power in simplicity which extravagance can never come close to, there is a purity.”

As for the difference in cultures, Jha explains that while they are culturally different, the core value systems are the same. “We both don’t eat meat (she is vegan, I am vegetarian), we don’t drink, don’t smoke, we love nature, animals, like discipline & yet we are very differently wired – I like the pace of the city, she likes the calm of a forest. But we are happiest when we are together so we both do more for the other.”

Now that Winters has made a huge shift to Mumbai, after their marriage in October. Jha points out how it has been a challenge for her adjusting in the new place, but she is really trying. “I respect that and try to make sure I support her because the heat is a struggle for her. Also, I try to balance time between work & home more now. We are both in a quest to be better human beings and in that journey, try to support each other, inspire each other through our actions. We read to each other. Love isn’t about saying, it’s about doing. Consistently & not conveniently – we are learning more to do that for one another,” he wraps up.