DWINDLING CULTURE AND TRADITIONS OF WEDDING CELEBRATIONS In the past wedding celebrations were a source of best entertainment and family reunion They were mostly arranged marriages The requirement and specific demands from the groom side were settled with some haggling. The engagement was another public function and occasion to unite the neighbours and family. The engaged couples would then be invited by uncles for a special lunch after the first bans in the church and gifted sweets( DOCE) to be distributed to the neighbours confirming the good news .Civil registration, purchasing of clothes was again another joyful get together ,Starting of wedding dress at home, attracted the neighbours and tipping the tailor was a norm. Invitations was in person and not by cards, which needed months, walking on foot the distances. The next big event was BIKREAM JEVON,( feeding the poor) The previous night ,preparing SANNAS accompanying by short folk songs , dedicated individually was another custom The next day neighbours would extend a helping hand to prepare the food, with one main cook only There used to be special ceremony and rituals of feeding the poor as the first preference, some significance of remembering the dead They were seated on large bamboo mats, The guest were also served on mats and not on tables The wedding gifts of the bride and her personal items were displayed for public viewing on this day. Curious and inquisitive observations by the people would gauge the financial worth of the bride. It was another matter that there was monetary burden to put of the show. Of special interest was the amount of DOCE mercilessly demanded to be distri buted through married daughters in particular . The distributor received tips for the service.There was also the tradition of preparing and distributing DHARI in large quantities, with main ingredients of coconut juice, jiggery Full fledged .Previous night of the wedding, there was bathing of the bride and groom with coconut juice. Every one present would shower the juice accompanied with singing of short folk songs individually devoted Eople put coins in the juice bowl for the one who prepared it and it was also shared with the folk singers. A small bachelor party was, limited to close friends. Wedding reception were held at both place with pandals decorated with plant cuttings The chairs were collected from the neighbours and the youngsters were a game doing this job The reception were at 2.p.m.mostly with receptions at 11 a.m. Kerosene Petromax were light source. The dishes mostly consisted of soup, stew,pulao and cake prepared by main cook assisted by the neighbours and served intermittently The dispersal of guests followed some customs of pouring liquor at boundary limits with strict conditions not to look back there after An elderly person would raise a toast to take care of the bride There was pure fun that night of cutting nails and offering services to get tips from the groom. At the brides place, there was treasure hunt to find the tips under the pillow, wash basin and every whereThe morning at the bride`s family and neighbours were dressed with glass bangles paid by the groom. There was tradition and obligation on the part of the groom to spend a fixed number of break fasts, dinners lunches most probably to get closely acquainted with the families W are talking of preserving culture and traditions. Nelson Lopes chinchinim 9850926276 At a special request of a friend
