400-strong baraat shuts down Wall Street in dazzling Indian wedding parade

Published on Authored by C to I News Desk

It was a wedding that brought Manhattan’s Financial District to a halt — quite literally. On Saturday, May 24, an extravagant Indian baraat — comprising 400 people — turned Wall Street into a high-energy spectacle, complete with dhol beats, sequins, and enough shimmer to rival the city skyline.

Wall Street wedding parade
Scenes from the wedding parade. Photo courtesy: Screengrab

The crowded business hub, more accustomed to tailored suits than pink kurtas, briefly transformed into the set of what looked like a full-blown Bollywood production.

At the centre of this show-stopping affair were Varun Navani, CEO of Boston-based enterprise AI firm Rolai, and Amanda Soll, a legal compliance and risk management director. The high-flying couple, whose identities surfaced, thanks to an enthusiastic army of social media sleuths and a public wedding page on The Knot — as per a report by New York Post — brought big fat Indian wedding energy to the Big Apple.

While they may not be Bollywood royalty, they certainly celebrated like it.

Navani, donning an ivory sherwani layered with pearls, made his way to the venue flanked by friends and family dancing down the cobbled streets. At one point, he was spotted atop a white vehicle, beaming broadly as he was lifted into the air by an exuberant crew.

The bride, meanwhile, turned heads in a rich ruby Sabyasachi lehenga, her look completed with gold jewellery, a soft updo, and makeup that struck the perfect balance between glamour and grace.

According to city records, the couple secured no fewer than 28 permits to shut down key parts of the Financial District — a feat that reportedly cost between USD 25,000 and USD 66,000 per location.

The Mayor’s Office classifies such large-scale street takeovers as “extra-large” events, which require extensive NYPD coordination and full block closures.

As per the NY Post report, the multi-day celebration began on Friday, 23 May, with breakfast and high tea at the Conrad Hotel, followed by a spirited sangeet at The Glasshouse.

Saturday’s highlight was the 3:30 pm baraat leading up to a grand reception at Cipriani Wall Street that rolled on until 2 in the morning.

On Sunday, guests were treated to another round of breakfasts and an evening Jewish wedding ceremony, followed by an after-party at Slate that kept the energy high until 4 am.

The festivities finally concluded on Monday with a farewell brunch and lunch send-off.