Wedding - The Holy Practice

Marriage is an important and Holy event in the human life cycle and also is a social event in a village. In Hunza, Northen Part of Pakistan, wedding cermonies are simple yet complicated. In this article I would like to share the rites and rituals specific to the region, Hunza, Gilgit.

 

It is celebrated with great zeal and simplicity. The parents with consent select the suitable boy or girl for the daughter or son preferably within close relatives. If they mutually understand each other they get engaged and on the the brides´s family have to prepare a dish called Molida (a dish prepared with local bread and butter) and Rukhán Putuk (milk, butter and bread). After having the food, the groom´s family put a white Dopata (scarf) on the head of the
bride and gives her clothes, pair of shoes, socks and woollies like sweater and shawl. These gifts are used at special occasions during engagement and marriage. Many of the gifts are kept for marriage. A day before or on the wedding day another is being performed by the in-laws by gifting a called. The engaged couple are given time of 6 months to understand each other because to live a happy life and decide the quality of life they want to have. If they make it,the wedding date is decided. If they fail, they inform their parents accordingly.

The ceremony Nikhah (contract in Islam) takes place in the Jamat Khan (for Ismaili Muslims only) where both the bride and the groom sign it in the presence of 6 witnesses and decide the Haq-e- Meher (Right of Dower, a payment to the bride) - average is Rs 10000 but it starts from 5555, decided by the both families also after the assessment of financial status of the bride and groom. It can be paid during the Nikah or the pay some amount and promise to pay the bride after the Nikah.

The age for getting married for boys is usually early twenties and the girls can get married in teen age like after seventeen to nineteen. After the bride and groom go to the bride´s home and do some rituals and go back to a ground where people dance and bless the bride and groom. They sit together with two other guys the side friends of the groom and have tea and Paratha or Putook (welcome drink and fried bread ) with the groom's friends and the senior of the village. After that special music is being played on three traditional musical instruments. All the male of the town dance with their families and friends of 8 -10 people. In the end of the day the groom with his friends dance and go back to the bride´s home and enjoy the traditional cuisine prepared for them. When everyone is done with the food, one senior of the family stands and advice the bride for the future and also the groom to take care of their daughter.

The Bride is then asked to leave but she cries because she doesn't want to leave the house and the bride´s father or her brother gives her something which is also tradition in the Gizan. Once the Bride leaves the females of the village come to the brides house and sign and dance a song (Sini Sai Siyoni Sai, Lova Lova Loney Lai ), the song was about a bride who died on the wedding day and her mother replaced the dead bride with her younger daughter and after the bride left she sung this song for her husband to tell him what has happened.

After that on the second day the groom meets the in-laws which is called Khaásh Solum. In the area, weddings are valued more then anything else. This is also the reason why there are rare cases of divorces. The daughter-in-laws are empowered to work and support the family. They prefer live in extended families. They live in cities for jobs or studies. The daughter in-law can also study further if she wants to or studies after. This is the way the holy practice goes on.

There are also so many traditional rites with lots of prayers included in the wedding. The notes tie in this specific cermoney is very important and has a great value and is practiced with holiness which makes it the strongest bond between families and reduces the divorce rate.

 

Zar Nigor

 

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