The Great Asian Wedding!
At the outset, it is clear that the Shaadis define a new phase in everyone’s life, the nuptial relationship is considered to be absolutely a sacred one. Regardless of the religion one belongs to, the nationality one has, the faith one follows, all the weddings happen and happen in grandeur with the vows of life getting exchanged. This union is definitely legal and sustainable. Through the piece the I intend to throw light on how the sanctity is involved in both the Indian as well as Pakistani weddings and how the institution unites not only two souls but their families. Indo-Pak marriages are undoubtedly both culturally rich and are big- fat.
Demographically speaking, the Nikaah under the Islamic law is the most prevalent form of marriage in Pakistan. The ceremonies range from Nikaah to Walima (Reception) and the weddings need to be formally registered. In case of India, due to the diversity, we have weddings based on Parsi, Islamic, Hindu, Christian customs. Generally, the wedding forms vary with castes, sub castes, language and regions in India. Equally important is to note that there is a Special Marriage Act altogether to bring two people of different faiths together. The time and duration of the different weddings vary too.
The commonalities between the two weddings’ multi day affairs include the pre wedding and post wedding phases, the merriment and yes, the unforgettable grand dining. The colour which is added to these weddings is due to the long lasting preparations, the cultural reflections and the extravaganza. While the Pakistani weddings are known to be highly arranged, the Indian weddings have embraced modernity and have allowed fairly a large number of love marriages. Not only is this, in consonance with the schemes of the Koran, polygamy is allowed in Pakistan. However, polygamy is prohibited largely in India by law. Pakistani weddings take place for a period of four days. Indian wedding can take even longer depending on the religion and caste.
Until now we looked at the weddings of India and Pakistan from different lenses, it is imperative to see them through the same prism. I reckon what is even more romantic is the idea of conjugal relationships building and budding across the two nations which attempt at obliterating the borders themselves. The past has witnessed beautiful examples of such eternal wedding knots being tied between individuals from both the countries. Mohsin Khan-Reena Roy, Shoaib Malik-Sania Mirza, Nonita Lall-Faisal Qureshi and the list is endless, with of course, additions from common names of the two nations as well. From an evolutionary perspective, love has overcome the barriers of nationality and people have become accommodative. Social acceptance is another change that we see to a great extent. Cross border weddings have become a trend and this practice, in particular, has certainly put an end to the radicalism which tends to create a hiatus between the two nations. Love triumphs, it definitely does.
Stemming out from the two similar cultures, we see close resemblance in wedding rituals of the two nations too. There is a great influence of Indian culture on Pakistani weddings and vice versa. The events such as Mehndi, Rukhsati, Waleema take place in a typical Hindu wedding too, however, in various other forms.
Apart from the glitz associated with the weddings, these multi day affairs promote love for one’s traditions and cultures. The ultimate outcome of the weddings is not only restricted to a personal and social union but goes beyond that. The weddings are much more than a celebration or a fest; they decide the course of individuals’ lives. Moreover, children borne out of such wedlock are brought up in an environment influenced by both the cultures. Their psyches in this manner are more tolerant. It is high time we realized that weddings should be seen more than a carnival for gala time, the union of hearts is more important than the fiesta itself. As far as the cross-border weddings are concerned, such weddings should not be adversely affected by the poor media coverage. Media thus play a crucial role in politicizing the Indo-Pak weddings. Further, the ordeal of the 1947 partition is something the nationals of both the countries have to come in terms with. Its resonating impact can be checked by imbibing the spirit of togetherness and tolerance. The political unrest over such wedding affairs that create hostilities need to be neutralized as well. Politicizing weddings is a practice which strictly demands discontinuation in the best interest of people from both the nations.