Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 160, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 July 1917 — LONG WEDDINGS IN PERSIA [ARTICLE]

LONG WEDDINGS IN PERSIA

Ceremonies, Continuing Several Days, Among Most Curious and Eiabo- , rate In the World. The marriage ceremonies which solemnize a wedding among the Mohammedans of Persia are among the most curious and elaborate in the world. Any American bridegroom who dislikes what men are wont to describe as the “fuss and bother” of a formal wedding should regard the case of his Persian brother ifinl take heart. __ The Persian ceremony may take from one to two weeks for its completion. Often the betrothal is a matter of many years’ standing, having been arranged by the parents when the principals were still young children. When the time for the marriage arrives the guests are summoned .by heralds, who go about the neighboring Tillages, bearing gifts of apples, cloves and roses to accompany the invitations. When some powerful personage is to be invited, the father of the bridegrbom does not send a herald, but goes himself, bearing as rich a present as he can afford to give. Before the wedding there is also a curious little business arrangement entered into. This is the matter of “kaben,” or the price of divorce. A sum is agreed upon in advance by the payment of which the future husband can put aside his wife at any time. When it is desired to make the divorce difficult, the kaben is set at Some impossible sum or commodity. The husband may be required to give the bride a hundredweight of mosquito wings, or one of his arms or legs, before he can divhrce her, a condition which generally makes the marriage a permanent affair. . The actual wedding festivities extend over days. The guests are given rooms in the house and served with rich foods and sweetmeats. Musicians and dancing girls are hired to entertain them, and if the families of the bride and groom are rich the favorite sport of the Persians may be staged by a pair of professional wrestlers. After the celebration has lasted three or four days the bride rides heavily veiled to her new, home on horseback. She is fallowed by porters bearing her dowry on their backs. The wedding celebration then continues for several days longer.