Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Muslim hospitality

Attending a Muslim marriage these days is a painful experience. If the time given is 7 pm, the function starts at least two hours late. A guest is not received by anybody. Host is not to be seen. In Hindu marriages you are received with sprinkling of rose water at the entrance.
Guests keep looking for the host, who is not to be seen. About 15 years ago ‘mehman nawazi’ was the in thing, but these days it is ‘mezbaan nawazi’. The moment ‘nikah is over ‘guests’ rush in to the dining hall. Some even reserve seats for their friends or relatives. The way ‘guests grab the dishes is to be seen to believe. After food they look for the host. They hug him and leave.

Walima dinner is worse. I am not talking about food quality. Dinner is not served till the groom arrives. If the dinner time is 9 pm the groom arrives past 10 pm. There are, I think two reasons, the previous night ( nikah day) bride leaves with groom at 3 pm, the next reason could be the groom is too tired (you know).