Pakistani Wedding

We live in a world full of diverse cultures and religions, all living together. We all have a diverse way of celebrating a special day. One of the most important of these celebrations is the day when two individuals join their lives in front of their dear ones. We are aware that every culture has its own way of celebrating this special day. Similarly, in Pakistan the wedding ceremony is considered very important ritual; therefore, it is celebrated uniquely. Pakistani wedding rituals follow Muslim patterns; although, in recent past, Pakistani weddings have adapted many of the Indian pre-wedding customs and rituals. Most of the pre-wedding customs in Pakistani weddings have no foundation in Islam, but the wedding is celebrated with great fervor. In this essay, I will explain the Pakistani weddings, and the four main ceremonies of a Pakistani wedding, which are Mayun, Mehandi, Baraat, and Valima.

The wedding is the most important event in Pakistan, and it is celebrated with great pomp and show. Mayun is the very first ceremony of Pakistani Wedding. Mayun is celebrated at the bride’s house. Usually the bride’s friends and close relatives get together at her house. They dance and sing, often accompanied by drum music. The beautification rituals begin during this time, and the bride is made free of all domestic chores during this time. The bride usually wears a simple yellow Shalwar Qamiz and women put henna on each other’s hands. The bride and groom are not allowed to see each other after the Mayun.

The next day is the Mehandi ceremony, which takes place a day before the wedding reception (baraat). It is a ceremony mainly for women. They apply mehandi (henna) to the bride’s hands and feet. They sing, dance, and bless...

... middle of paper ...

...em while they have dinner. Valima is also an Islamic requirement, and it is designed to announce the marriage to the community and celebrate the arrival of the fair bride into her new home. It is believed that the marriage in Pakistan is essentially a marriage between two families and for this reason, the family life is paramount and the family unit is more important than the individual.

In short, the Pakistani wedding is a great feast of fun, merriments, and celebrations. The four wedding ceremonies Mayun, Mehandi, Baraat, and Valima are celebrated with great fervor. Pakistani weddings are not only the union of two individuals, but they are consided the union of two families. For Pakistani families today living all over the world, it provides a grand event for everyone to come back, reconnect with their roots, and enjoy their rich and colorful culture.