Wedding Series: Muwashra Ali Malik

It's been many a time since the Mubashra Ali turned mahabaleshwar to a beautiful and illustrious nuptial. The Mubashra was born in 1797 in the state of Sindh (now called Pakistan) by a marriage arranged by her uncle. She was just 14 at the time of her wedding but it turned out to be the start of a long love affair that would take them across the country, to India and then to Egypt before returning to Pakistan. The marriage was arranged by her uncle on the advice of a well to do son who was in business in the city. This was a happy event for the young Mubashra as it meant her two young brothers could continue to live abroad and enjoy their free vacations, something that was very uncommon in those days.

The marriage was a happy one and the Mubashra had many happy memories of her wedding. On the wedding day she had a bath in a river on the right of her groom and the two walked hand in hand. She was a lovely woman who shied away from physical contact yet exuded a touch of elegance, that the people around her could not help admiring. Her dress was a simple affair and it did make her appear lovely. As her groom approached her he detected a softness in her voice that he could never forget.

On the day of the wedding the Mubashra had a joust with the hands of her groom and his friends and they played a part in upsetting the peace of the entire ceremony. Their effort seemed to be rewarded when the head of the wedding procession came riding up carrying the garland of the bride along with a canopy. All the guests flocked around to watch the ceremony. A beautiful Dhole Patiala (formal wear) was laid over the bride's as she stood on the dais. Her veil too was a work of art that had been designed well to do by craftsmen of that era.

It was a brave and romantic gesture on the part of the Mubashra but the whole drama did little to calm the hearts of the people present at the ceremony. The anger of some of them could be fanned by the loud clapping of the 'Aabara' bell which was rung three times to signify the arrival of the groom. Even the customary breaking of the glass of the chakras had an emotional impact on some of the people present in the hall. But all this was to be expected. The true love of a woman cannot be shaken by such petty human practices.

As the ceremony progressed the bride slowly slipped into the groom's arms, taking him completely by surprise. There was nothing like the feeling of being carried by the love of your life to melt the ice even in the most difficult situations. The Mubashra was very gentle and kind to the groom in her loving caress as she wrapped her arms around him and pressed him tightly. The Mubashra performed the ritual of Zalmi nishchitar (re-lighting the fire) before they were seated on the dais, the traditional Indian sitting arrangement at the marriage venue.

The wedding ceremony was beautifully arranged with the arrangements of the various rooms varying according to their importance. The decorations of each of these rooms, arranged in their respective positions, added a touch of intricacy to the entire marriage ceremony. The setting off was done with the singing of devotional hymns accompanied by the recital of Atul Aas dooj. This was followed by the breaking of the glass of the chakras with the 'Aabara' bell ringing the final bell signaling the end of the wedding celebrations. Inevitably, all eyes were captured by the beautiful bride in her beautiful sari and the groom in his splendid Jodhpuri suit.

With the wedding over, the guests were taken away to their respective homes where they were happily welcomed by the relatives and friends. All were felicitated with a sumptuous feast which included delicious food, flowers and mouth-watering sweets. As the guests departed, the bride and groom were welcomed by a troop of admirers who had come to celebrate the auspicious occasion. The whole day was a momentous occasion for the family as a token of appreciation and blessing was given to the couple for their union.

The wedding photographs that are captured in the wedding album have an undeniable charm which the family has been cherishing since the day of the ceremony. This is evident in the innumerable testimonials submitted by happy and satisfied guests who had been present at this beautiful event. The photographs show a relaxed and joyous atmosphere as the newly wedded couple recline on the dais and look into each other's eyes with a smile on their faces. It is one such rare occasions that the entire clan, the friends and relatives gathered round to celebrate the happiness of the new couple.