Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c7.s1.88

c7.s1.88

A stage was reached in marriage negotiations when the parties agreed to the wedding of two children, the future bride and bridegroom. This agreement was celebrated with suitable ceremonies and was called *Tilaka* or *mangni*, that is, betrothal ceremony. After this formal recognition, a date was fixed for marriage (the *lagan*) and elaborate preparations began. Invitations were sent out through the local barber or through special messengers to friends and relations. A *mandapa* was constructed in the house of the bride.¹ Wedding wreaths of flowers or festoons of mango leaves were hung before the doors. Kindly neighbours also decorated their door-ways with these wreaths (or *bandarwars*) to express their joy and good-will. The evenings became more lively because the whole population of a village (or in the case of towns, of quarters or *mahallas*) began to join the *suhag* songs at the house of the bride or started singing these popular wedding songs in their own homes on their own account. All sorts of sober and humorous rites and numerous superstitious ceremonies filled the programme of the bride and bridegroom, who on his part was making preparations to start for the wedding ceremony. Similar arrangements (except the erection of a *mandapa*) marked the house of the bridegroom.