As I traveled through Pakistan to research traditional wedding rituals, technology helped me overcome the language barrier. Using a translator app, I could translate English into Urdu to understand ceremonial texts and conversations. This gave me an insightful window into Pakistan’s rich wedding traditions.
A Nine-Day Event
Pakistani weddings typically last nine days. The rituals and ceremonies have evolved from Punjabi, Sindhi, and Muslim traditions into a multi-day festival celebrating the union of two families. On average, Pakistani families spend 20% of their life savings on their son or daughter’s wedding.
Pre-Wedding Rituals
The rituals leading up to the wedding can take five days. These events include the mehndi, a ladies’ party where the bride’s hands and feet are decorated with henna, and the dholki, where families gather to dance and sing. Gifts are also exchanged between the soon-to-be in-laws.
The Actual Wedding Event
On the wedding day, traditions vary between families. Typically, the groom arrives at the bride’s home and the milni ceremony takes place, where the couple garland each other to symbolize acceptance. The groom may arrive on a decorated horse, elephant, or luxury car. The valima refers to the marriage ceremony, where vows are exchanged. The walima refers to the reception. The bride and groom feed each other their first bites as a married couple.
Post-Wedding Rituals
The festivities continue after the wedding ceremony as well. The rukhsati sends off the bride as she leaves for her new home. The groom’s family hosts another reception and welcomes the new bride. Finally, the pag phera ceremony requires the newlyweds to visit a religious site near the groom’s family home to pray for blessings.
Bridal Attire and Jewelry
The bridal dress and jewelry can be extensive and heavy. While some brides wear lehengas or ghararas, others wear regional dresses like sharara from Peshawar. Bridal jewelry includes tikka headpieces, necklaces, earrings, and bangles. Gold jewelry is common, with ancestral pieces passed down. The jhoomar or shimmering maang tikka worn on the head can be large and intricate.
Wedding Food Traditions
Food is an essential part of Pakistani weddings. Dishes like biryani and tandoori chicken are cooked in community pits or tandoors. Mithai, or traditional sweets like gulab jamun and jalebis, are served and often given as wedding favors. Fruits like dates which are seen as auspicious are gifted. With hundreds or thousands of wedding guests, cooking begins days in advance.
A Blend of Cultures
From what I learned using the Linguanex translator to understand texts and conversations, Pakistani weddings beautifully blend cultures. Even as wedding rituals evolve with globalization, traditions continue to be passed down through generations, staying alive through the celebration of matrimony, faith, and family.
