Bridgerton Season 2: From Haldi ceremony to masala tea, how the show scored points on Indian representation

The second season of Bridgerton has been special on many accounts and particularly for Indian fans of the show considering how well represented they feel after the introduction of characters such as Kate (Simone Ashley) and Edwina (Charithra Chandran) Sharma. Ever since we got a glimpse of the Sharma sisters in the series' first promo, it was a delight to see actresses of Indian descent playing the lead roles in the famed series. 

While Simone Ashley and Charithra Chandran did an absolutely fine job with their acting, props also need to be given to the writers and production design team of the show who included key elements from the Indian culture to enhance their characters' background with an authenticity that was needed. The inclusion of little elements such as Edwina, the younger sister calling her older sibling "Didi" and other things have left the Indian fans of the show impressed with the efforts taken to appropriately showcase Indian culture and traditions. 

Here's a look at how Bridgerton scored points on its Indian culture representation

Kate Sharma's love for masala tea 

If there's one thing that most Indians would take pride in, it's their pipping hot tea that tastes even better with the use of spices. In fleeting glimpse on the show, Simone Ashley's Kate is seen serving herself a cup of tea which in which she adds some signature Indian spices. The "masala chai" as we know it has now made it to Bridgerton, what more could we ask for? 

The use of Indian jewellery 

During the wedding scene, we see Kate wearing gorgeous gold bangles with gemstones embellished in them. The bangles are a key ornament when it comes to Indian wedding jewellery and it was a nice touch added by the makers to show the inclusion of them during the wedding scene attire. 

Simone Ashley's usage of Hindi words 

One of the most impressive points of the season was also how Simone Ashley's first words on the show were in Hindi. At another point during the series, Ashely's Kate Sharma is also seen telling Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) how her sister speaks several languages as she says, "She is accomplished in both Latin and Greek, in addition to Marathi and Hindustani, of course." The addition of Indian languages to Edwina's skill set is certainly what made many Indian fans proud. 

The appropriate usage of terms of endearment 

In Indian cultures, every relationship has a special title and it was a delight to see the usage of these terms in the series. Be it when Edwin adorably calls Kate "Didi" or when the duo discusses their parents referring to them as "Appa" and "Amma." 

The Haldi ceremony 

A popular pre-wedding ritual is the Haldi ceremony where Turmeric (haldi) is applied to the bride-to-be's skin, so as to give her wedding glow before the grand ceremony. It was beyond heartwarming to see Kate (Ashley) and her mother Mary (Shelley Conn) apply 'haldi' to Edwina while the soon-to-be bride. The heartfelt conversations in this scene along with the Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham music further added to the joy of the scene. 

The quintessential head massage with oil 

It is a common practice among Indians to apply hair oil and massage the scalp before having a goodnight's sleep. It's also considered to be a great stressbuster and hence it was a delight to see how in one of the scenes Kate was seen doing the same for her sister as the duo share a meaningful conversation. 

What did you enjoy most about Bridgerton's second season? Share your views with us in the comments below. 

ALSO READ: Bridgerton Season 2: From K3G to Harry Styles & Miley Cyrus, a look at music featured on the show