The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-05-02
PICTURESQUE WEDDING RITES.

marriage among the Parsis is always
arranged by the matchmaker, who is
generally a priest If hisc hoice of
bride is pleasing to the bridegroom's
family they send a request to the
brides family for her horoscope, and
this, with the young INNS microscope
lis submitted to an astrologer If the
stars are not propitious the match is
abandoned
The marriage ceremony usually
takes place just about sunset, and
great preparations are made for it.
The bride whose nuptials I saw was
the daughter of a dastur, or chief
priests, and the rite was performed
at the fire temple The entrance was
decorated with garlands and flags
Later in the evening thousands of
tiny oil lamps outlined the buildings
The bridegroom and his family, to-
! gether with the male members of the
brides family, arrived first, and the
opening ceremony was the exchange
of some handsome silk shawls be-
tween the two fathers. A band her.
aided the approach of the bride and
her party, whereupon the priests and
the bridegroom took their places on
a raised dias, over which lovely
canopy of flowers was suspended.
Two handsome chairs facing each
other were placed Immediately I'M
der the canopy, and one these the
bridal pair took their seats, a piece
of cloth being held between them as
curtain to screen them from each
others sight But before this the
brides mother entered, bearing a sill
yer tray containing cocoanuts 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 praises.
When the bridal pair were seated
they were made to hold each others
hands under the curtain, and another
piece of cloth was placed around 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 process and, f.
nally, the twist was tied seven times
round the Joined hands of the couple
and round the double knot of the en-
circling cloth. Incense was then plac-
ed on a small brazier and lighted, to
the further repetition of prayers
The dividing curtain was next loos.
! ened suddenly, and the bride and
! bridegroom, who had each been pro
vided with a few grains of rice, has
, tened to throw them at each other
(the' one who succeeds in getting the
first throw is supposed to have the
stronger affection), while the attend
ant maidens clapped their hands glee
fully. The bridal pair were then seat
ed side by side and two chief priests
] took u a position facing them and
pronounced long recital of blessings
in the ancient language of Persia, EN-
phasizing each sentence by throwing
few grains Of rice from trays plac
ed at hand at the devoted pair in {
manner that struck western ideas as
most disconcerting.
r The whole ceremony lasted nearly
an hour, and was concluded by the
senior chief priest pronouncing thu
following blessing:
May the omniscient Lord bless you
with mahy sons and grandsons, will
good livelihood, heart ravishinl
1 friendship, long life and an existenc,
+ of $50 years.
The parents of the happ pair wer,
then asked by the priests of the mar
riage had their full consent, and tn,
bridegroom and bride were also ask
ed if they were agreed to live togeth
2 er in harmony to the end of thei
3 lives, after which followed a shor
z homily and some prayers and bless
g ing in the sanskrit language and tn
S signing of the marriage certificate b.
= the latter, by their parents and tn
. two officiating priests,
1t is difficult to convey in words tn
brilliant picture such sacene presents
Light and color seem to wanton i
the east But a scene composed q
as white robed priests, men in light co
ored garments, women and childre
d. arrayed in silks of every color an
= tint conceivable, gold and silver en-
broidered and sparkling with
wealth of jewels, flowers and light
forms a picture that would tax tn