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Tajik wedding

Published: 03 december 2014

As is known, wedding is one of the major events in the life of every man. Today we would like to tell you about the traditions and customs of the Kyrgyz wedding. Unlike the other Central Asian people, the Tajik wedding ceremony is held very original and unique way. But first things first. Let’s start with the most important ceremony - matchmaking. Here as a rule speak about the kalym and engagement day as well as bride and groom’s parents get acquainted. Engagement has the next meanings: kabuldaron (agreement to posses), oshkhurakon (pilaf treat) and oklik (purity, whiteness). This day groom’s relatives bring trays with delicious meal to bride’s house. The first tray full of wedding bread is brought for happy family life, the second one with ingredients for wedding pilaf, the third one with sweets, so that the life of the newly-weds to be sweet. There are also necessary presents for bride: white fabric, white shoes and kerchief. By tradition, the Tajik wedding is celebrated in the bride’s home. After the end of the celebration, the newly-weds must live in the bride’ house for three days, and only then they can move to the groom’s house. Well, let’s get acquainted with the main ceremony – wedding. This day the groom dressed in traditional costume, come to the bride’s house with relatives and friends. There are knife, wooden spoon and pod of red pepper. The knife is the symbol of courage, the spoon “helps” to give a birth a girl as the future housewife, and pepper is the amulet against evil eye.

When the bride goes to the guests, her friends hold embroidered gold carpet above her head that symbolizes happiness of new home. Then she goes to “chimlik” – (curtain made in order to hide the couple during wedding ceremonies), where groom waits for her. After the priest bless the newly-weds and give them to taste honey for further happy life. The main wedding ceremony is “nikoh”, during of which mullah read verses from the Koran, and then he gives the couple to drink holy water. This ritual is held in order to confirm the husband’s agreement to protect his wife and she in her turn must honor and respect her husband. After the finishing all the ceremonies, the newly-weds go to registry office, and then there is a real feast with merry programs, dances and delicious treat. People of mountainous area celebrate the wedding ceremony accompanied sport competitions and games. 

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