IN PICS: Lives of India's wedding band musicians

No wedding in North India can be complete without a brass band that announces the arrival of the groom. Photographer Mansi Thapliyal aims her camera at the always seen but never recognised band members.

Weddings in North India are never complete untill the family members of the bride and groom dance, often to the tune of popular Bollywood songs. Brass bands are hired to play at the wedding procession in which the groom's family dances all the way to the wedding venue where the bride's family waits to receive them.

A procession, known as a baraat, is usually accompanied by bright lights, fireworks, loud music and dancing. The brass bands normally play a mix of Indian and western musical instruments and the members of the band, who come together during the wedding season, earn around $10-12 per wedding.

Delhi-based photographer Mansi Thapliyal wanted to take a closer look at the musicians and find out more about who they are, what they do when they're not entertaining wedding guests and what their day-to-day struggles are.

Atar Singh, 45, a member of a brass band, pauses as his other members perform during a wedding procession in New Delhi. The wedding season in India lasts for about four months and during wedding celebrations the bridegroom's family normally hires a brass band service to play at the wedding procession, in which the groom's family dances all the way to the wedding venue where the bride's family waits to receive them. The members of the band come together during wedding season to perform and earn around $10-12 per wedding.

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How do you make a marriage a happy one? We want to know! Tell us in less than 140 characters the secret to your happy marriage. The best responses will be published on Rediff Get Ahead. Tell us the secrets to your successful marriage here!

How do you make a marriage a happy one? We want to know! Tell us in less than 140 characters the secret to your happy marriage. The best responses will be published on Rediff Get Ahead. Tell us the secrets to your successful marriage here!

How do you make a marriage a happy one? We want to know! Tell us in less than 140 characters the secret to your happy marriage. The best responses will be published on Rediff Get Ahead. Tell us the secrets to your successful marriage here!

How do you make a marriage a happy one? We want to know! Tell us in less than 140 characters the secret to your happy marriage. The best responses will be published on Rediff Get Ahead. Tell us the secrets to your successful marriage here!

How do you make a marriage a happy one? We want to know! Tell us in less than 140 characters the secret to your happy marriage. The best responses will be published on Rediff Get Ahead. Tell us the secrets to your successful marriage here!

How do you make a marriage a happy one? We want to know! Tell us in less than 140 characters the secret to your happy marriage. The best responses will be published on Rediff Get Ahead. Tell us the secrets to your successful marriage here!

How do you make a marriage a happy one? We want to know! Tell us in less than 140 characters the secret to your happy marriage. The best responses will be published on Rediff Get Ahead. Tell us the secrets to your successful marriage here!

How do you make a marriage a happy one? We want to know! Tell us in less than 140 characters the secret to your happy marriage. The best responses will be published on Rediff Get Ahead. Tell us the secrets to your successful marriage here!

How do you make a marriage a happy one? We want to know! Tell us in less than 140 characters the secret to your happy marriage. The best responses will be published on Rediff Get Ahead. Tell us the secrets to your successful marriage here!

How do you make a marriage a happy one? We want to know! Tell us in less than 140 characters the secret to your happy marriage. The best responses will be published on Rediff Get Ahead. Tell us the secrets to your successful marriage here!

How do you make a marriage a happy one? We want to know! Tell us in less than 140 characters the secret to your happy marriage. The best responses will be published on Rediff Get Ahead. Tell us the secrets to your successful marriage here!

How do you make a marriage a happy one? We want to know! Tell us in less than 140 characters the secret to your happy marriage. The best responses will be published on Rediff Get Ahead. Tell us the secrets to your successful marriage here!

How do you make a marriage a happy one? We want to know! Tell us in less than 140 characters the secret to your happy marriage. The best responses will be published on Rediff Get Ahead. Tell us the secrets to your successful marriage here!

How do you make a marriage a happy one? We want to know! Tell us in less than 140 characters the secret to your happy marriage. The best responses will be published on Rediff Get Ahead. Tell us the secrets to your successful marriage here!