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Mehndi
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In some parts of Pakistan a marriage is arranged even before the couple
is born, and the girl and the boy who are going to be married can't see
each other before their wedding day. In the cities of Pakistan this is
old fashioned now. When an engagement has been set the couple can then
go out or see each other but only with a chaperone such as the girl’s sister.
The parents ask for an agreement of the girl and boy to make sure that
if they want to get married with each other, before the arrangement of
marriage can be made. If the girl or boy is not agreeable to it, the parents
can’t force them to get married. In villages, a women is supposed to marry
before she is twenty years old, but in cities a years later.
The dowry is a good part of a wedding because girl’s parents like to give
their daughter presents like furniture, a TV, a car or a house. Five days
before the wedding day, the main event is the mehndi (HENNA). This is the
day when henna is used to make designs on hands and feet. The girl’s mother's
brother brings the henna for the bride. Two or three hours before the wedding
the henna is washed from the girl’s hands and feet. Later the girl gets
maroon color on the hands and feet. In Pakistan older people said that
if the girl puts henna on her hand and she gets more dark color then other.
Then her husband loves her more. The mehndi day takes place in the bride's
house, and bride's family invites the groom's family on henna day.
Then girls and boys sing songs and dance to show the happiness of the marriage.
Then turn-by-turn ladies get up and put henna on bride's hand and grooms
hand, and put some hair oil on their hair.
The wedding itself is so big because the couple's parents invite many people,
about three to five hundred people or more than that. Both houses have
to present big meals for the guests. For example chicken. Big roasts. Rice.
Salads and. Drinks There is also sweet desserts and ice cream. The bride
wears a red dress and gold jewelry; her dress is cald (sharara or lehnga).
The groom can wear anything like three-piece suit or a national dress of
my country called (shalwar kameez). All women and girls wear nice cloths
and jewelry. The groom and bride's houses are decorated with lightings
and flowers before a week of the ceremony. Both houses start to sing songs
for the couple in order to prepare them for their wedding day. On the wedding
day the groom and his family come to the bride's house with guests. After
one hour the mother and her sister bring the bride to the stage to sit
with her groom. The bride's sister brings milk and asks the groom to drink.
He must drink the milk and must give the money to bride's sister. Then
both parties the groom's party and the bride's party has and argument about
the money. It's for fun. At last the groom has to give money. Then every
body gets up for the meal, but the bride eats her meal in a separate place
because she is shy. Then the time comes time comes when the bride has to
go with her husband.
I think the arranged marriage is good because the parents want to see their
children happy and want someone who is good. But the parents also ask the
opinion of the girl and boy because they are going to spend the rest of
their life with that person. The Pakistani marriages are so interesting.
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Mehndi
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This link will take you to a Pakistani wedding . .
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http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/thekid/pakistan/weddings.htm
This is a link to more pictures and information about
Pakistani wedding preparations . . .
http://www.geocities.com/Eureka/Park/7445/pictures.htm