The Afghani Cultural Marriage

Marriage is a ritual that takes place to form a formal union between a man and a woman for starting a family. In Afghanistan, it is believed that marriages are made by the almightily Allah and it is a bond and promise not only between two people but also between two families from different backgrounds. Therefore, as Afghanistan is a conservative society built upon traditional and Islamic principles, marriage is considered the only acceptable way for a man and a woman for forming a lifelong bond and relationship. The Afghani cultural marriage has its own practices and rituals which makes it completely different and though attractive to the outsiders. For example, in the West, a marriage ceremony includes engagement, wedding ceremony and reception including cutting the cake and the first dance of a man and a woman as husband and wife which is very different from the Afghan marriages. This paper, therefore, explains the Afghan traditional marriage that includes number of occasions such as engagement or Shereni Khori, Takht-e Henna, the Nikah, and Takht Jami.

II. Engagement or Shereni Khori:

Shereni Khori or Dismaal is the first step for celebrating the newly formed kinship between the families. Bride’s family hosts the groom’s family by serving meal and thereafter elderly members of the groom’s family including his father and other members of his family discusses the arrangement with the bride’s family. They present gifts and money to the bride’s family and after discussions and serving the meal, one of the respected elderly members of the groom’s family exposes the purpose of the gathering and calls for a kinship between the families (Kite Runner 2nd, 2012). If the family members of the girl agrees, then the two families discusses ...

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...d it is the main and yet crucial part of their tradition. The groom’s family demands many items including jewelry, household items and so on, and failing to fulfill their demand sometimes result in divorce or domestic violence.

VII. Conclusion:

The Afghan traditional marriages are very distinct from other the marriages of other cultures around the world. Despite its unique features, it also shares number of traits with the marriages of the region such as India and Pakistan. A marriage is not only a lifelong bond and relationship between a man and a woman but it is also a relationship between two different families with different backgrounds, cultures and even different regions. As the result, the different rituals of the Afghan marriages are very unique which is often performed as showing off and demonstrating the social prestige, status and power.