With the election out the way, I can go back to writing about other things. What better to start with than wedding parties- Mirpuri style? I attended one at the weekend…..there are many more to go over the summer.
I have become so acclimatised to wedding parties given by fellow Mirpuris, having attended so many, that I cannot imagine how they must appear to an inexperienced non-Mirpuri. They are, to put it mildly, chaotic affairs.
The first thing that will strike the novice is the number of guests. All relatives, no matter how remote, are invited. They will normally be spread around the country and will make an effort to attend. A very large number of neighbours and other locals are also invited. Sometimes even casual acquaintances, those with whom your only relationship is a perfunctory hello or salaam whenever you meet them at the local paper shop, are invited.
When you have such a large guest list, chaos is inevitable. The wedding hall is normally never big enough to accommodate all the guests in one go. Food is therefore served in several sittings. Those lucky enough to find a seat in the first serving eat in the shadow of those who missed. I have known of cases where those who missed the first sitting stood behind the chairs of those who succeeded, ready to pounce as soon as they have finished eating. No body finds this particularly unusual.
The purpose, then, of a Mirpuri wedding party is to feed the large number of guests as quickly as possible. You can certainly socialise in sub-groups before or after eating, but once seated at the table, your purpose is to eat quickly. Fine conversation at the dinner table is not the way of the Mirpuri wedding party.
Yet I am quite fond of Mirpuri wedding parties. They are, compared to black tie events of city folk, quite relaxed affairs. I think there is a deeper reason why I am fond of them: they reflect a community spirit not normally seen in urban areas. How many people would invite casual acquaintances to a wedding party? Indeed, in most cases, people barely know their immediate neighbours, let alone those living down the road or in the wider locality. There is, then, a deeper meaning and purpose to the chaos.
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