Iranian Culture - Persian Wedding Traditions
Mariam Noronha
Persian weddings are associated with a number of traditions some of which involve a show of wealth and others which reflect the hope for togetherness, love and bonding of the newly wedded couple. From the serenity of prayer before the wedding to bonhomie and laughter after, these traditions give the families of the bride and groom an opportunity to mingle and celebrate. Here are a few of these traditions.
Seeking Divine Intervention
Just before the marriage contract is read out to the bride with a view to seeking her consent, the Moslem bride sits on a prayer mat laid out near the Sofreh Aghd or Persian wedding feast and recites verses from the Holy Koran.
At The Sofreh Aghd
One tradition at the Sofreh Aghd is where the bride says "No" three times before giving her consent to the marriage and has relatives showering the couple with money.
After the Aghd
After the Aghd the couple is made to sit together at the Sofreh and seven married women hold a decorative piece of cloth, lace or net over their heads. The newly wedded couple gets their first look at each other in a mirror which is held by female relatives. This is followed by female relatives and friends (married women only) coming up one by one, rubbing sugar cones over the couple's heads and blessing them with the sweetness of love, happiness, contentment and children in the future.
Another interesting tradition is where the bride and groom take turns to dip their little fingers in honey and give each other a taste of it. In doing this the couple expresses a desire to fill each other's lives with the sweetness of the honey that they have just tasted.
The couple then proceeds to cut the wedding cake but not before the Persian knife dance performed with gusto.
Ragsheh Chagoo: The Persian Knife Dance
Weapon dances are a common practice across the globe. From brandishing swords and spears to knives and daggers people belonging to different cultures have used weapon dances to reflect anything from a show of strength to a heady celebration. Middle Eastern countries like Muscat too have their own sword dances and Iran has its very own knife dance called Ragsheh Chagoo.
The Ragsheh Chagoo is one of the many Persian traditions which gives families of the bride and groom an opportunity to show off with money. The idea behind the dance is for the couple to retrieve a knife from the dancers so that they can cut the cake.
The dance begins with one person performing a typical Persian dance, holding a knife and asking the couple for money. The couple is expected to give money to the dancer in return for the knife. Once the dancer gets the money he or she passes the knife on to the next dancer. This little game played in good humor goes on for some time until the crowd has had an opportunity to revel in music and gaiety. Finally, the couple is given the knife with which they cut their wedding cake.
That just about wraps up the traditions associated with most Persian weddings (though some Iranians depending on their religious beliefs may incorporate only some of these traditions). What follows is much laughter, happiness and hope for a blissful future.
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