‘Dance-drama’ at Rajasthan wedding

Jaipur, Nov 9 (IANS) A wedding in Rajasthan’s Barmer town, over 550 km from here, witnessed high drama Friday when the maulavi (priest) refused to perform the marriage rituals after he saw women from the groom’s side dancing in public.

The maulavi objected to the dancing as he claimed that women were not allowed to dance in marriage processions in the area.

The maulavi left without performing the wedding rituals.

Later in the evening, the wedding was held at a different location.

According to the residents of the area, the daughter of Vahid Khan, a resident of Hussaini Chok in the town, was to wed one Nawaz, belonging to Gujarat’s Baroda district, Friday.

The groom and his relatives reached the bride’s house with pomp and show.

“Some women from the groom’s side started dancing when the marriage procession reached the bride’s house. It irked the maulavi, who was there to perform the marriage rituals. And the maulavi refused to perform the rituals,” said one resident of the area.

The maulavi told the family that a public dance by women was a disgrace, and was prohibited in the area, the resident said.

The maulavi and the wedding party, however, were both ultimately satisfied — while the maulavi left without performing the rituals, the wedding was conducted later, elsewhere.

IANS 2012-11-09 20:48:05