While the band was playing...

Img_1189, originally uploaded by hammadin.

Last 4 days I have been busy with weddings. Of course I cant post pictures because I dont ant to be beaten up by anyone who doesnt want their picture on cyberspace ( read: any auntees or bajees who might think they were not looking good in the picture will beat me up).

Regardless, basically there were two weddings. Both were quite interesting. ONe was of a family freind and another of a close freind. This band was playing to welcome the barat ( the bridge groom posy who come to take the bride away). IN south asian culture by and large the girl goes and lives with the boy's family. ( I am tempted to comment on the whole mother in lw-daughter in law issue --saas bahu--but thats better left for another post when I have a better internet coonnection and can research the topic more).

The normal marriage in SOuth Asia consists of upto 6 functions:

Mangani-engament

Nikah- NIkah( contract for marriage---i.e. the paperwork) if families need to have nikah beofe actual wedding date

Dholki-At bride and bride groom's house...women ( and somtimes men) sing songs to celebrate occasion for many nights some time

Mehandi- The night before e mariage night when the bride orbride groom's hands are decorated with this orange thning called mehandi. The bride and bridegroom can have seperate functions or the same ones for Mehandi

Shade- The actual night whhen the bride leaves the bride's house to go to bride groom's house. It can be sad occaion for girl's parents who may cry a lot. The bride crys a lot too and if the bride groom is emotioimnal like me he moight start crying just for the heck of it. This is the actual night of consumation of mrriage. Much more can be written nbut thats better left for another day.

Vailma- A reception hosted by bride groom to introduce bride to his freinds and relatives

The question I asked my family freind about his marriage was that: Is this the beginning of the end or the beginnning of a new beginning? He answered saying that it was a later. May Allah make it so and give him the best in this life and the next. ( and may his wife make lots of rotee if he likes it--or when I visit)