Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-16
p1cr11REsouE WEDDING RITES.
Parsi Marriage Ceremony That Was
Strange and Brilliant.

From the London queen
During a visit to India it was my gooo
fortune to witness q Parsi weoolne'
which is q ceremony Of unusual plctur-
esoueness and beauty. A marriage among
the Parsis Is always arranged oy the
matchmaker. who is generally priest.
II his choice Of bride is pleasing to
the bridegroom's family they send q re-
quest to the brides family for her horo-
scope and this. with the young man
horoscope. is submitted to an astrologer.
II the stars are not propitious the match
is abandoned.
The marriage ceremony usually takes
place Just about sunset. and great prepa-
rations are made for it. The bride whose
nuptials 1 saw was the daughter Oh d
dastur, or chief priest, and the rite was
performed at the fire temple. The en-
france was decorated with garlands and
flags. Later in the evening thousands OF
tiny Oil lamps outlined the buildings.
The BRIDEGROOM and his family to-
eether with the male members OF the
brides family, arrived first, and the open
ing ceremony was the exchange OF some
handsome silk shawls between the two
fathers. A band heralded the approach
of the bride and her party, whereupon
the priests and the bridegroom took their
places on a raised dais, over which a
lovely canopy of flowers was SUSPENDED
Two handsome chairs facing each other
were placed Immediately under the cam
opy, and on these the bridal pair took
their seats, piece of cloth being held
between them as a curtain TO screen
them from each others sight. But be-
fore this the brides mother entered.
bearing silver tray containing cocoa
nuts and rice. which she passed three
times round the bridegroom's head. while
some maidenS charmingly attired In soft
silks of delicate hue sang some verses In
his praise.
When the bridal pair We're seated they
were made to hold each others hands
under the curtain. and another piece of
cloth was placed round both chairs and
tied by a double knot. after which a skein
Of raw twist was wound round the pair
seven times by the officiating priests.
prayers being repeated during the pro-
cess. and, finally, the twist was tied seven
times round the Joined hands of the
couple and round the double knot or
the encircling cloth. Incense was then
placed on a small brazier and lighted. 10
the further repetition of prayers
The dividing curtain was next lcosened
suddenly and the bride and bridegroom.
who had each been proved with few
grains of rice, fastened to throw them
at each other the one who succeeds i'm
getting the first throw is supposed Ia
have the stronger Affection. while the 1T
tendant maidens clapped their hands Glee-
fully The bridal pair were then seated
side by side and two chief priests took
up a position facing them and pronounced
a long recital Of blessings in tho ancient
language OF Persia, emphasizing each
sentence by throwing few grains of rice
from trays placed at hand a: the de-
voted pair in manner that struck wes;-
ern ideas as most disconce-tng.
The whole ceremony lasted nearly an
hour and was concluded bv the senior
chief priest pronouncing the following
blessing:
May the omniscient Lord bless YOU witl
many sons and grandsons. witt cood I've
lihood. heart ravishing f. endship. long
life and an existence of 1"9 years.
The parents OF the happy pair were
then asked by the priests if the rI'aTr;aee
had their full consent. and the bride
groom and bride were also asked if thew
were agreed to live together in harm ony
to the end of their lives, after which
followed short hon'ilv and sor,e pray
ers and blessings In the Sapskrit lam