Wedding in the Pakistani culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wedding in the Pakistani culture - Essay Example Pakistan and India have lived together for centuries until 1947, when the two countries parted ways with each other with the Muslim majority in the former and the Hindu majority in the latter. Although, since 1947, the two countries have not had good relations with each other and have had many wars since then, yet there are many traits of the Hindu culture that are ingrained in Pakistanis, and same holds true for the Indians also. The two nations, having lived together for centuries, share norms and values, and many characteristics of their cultures are alike. Mehndi happens to be one of them, though there is no significance of Mehndi in Islam, that happens to be the religion of a majority of Pakistanis. In Islam, there is Nikah and Walima. However, Mehndi is a very strong cultural feature of a Pakistani wedding, and any wedding is considered incomplete without the function of Mehndi. The function of Mehndi is specifically meant for singing and dancing.Some Pakistanis prefer to have two Mehndi functions, one for the bride and the other for the groom, while a vast majority of Pakistanis organize one Mehndi function, that stands both for the bride and the groom together. The function of Mehndi is fundamentally meant for ladies, and gents have little to no representation in this function, particularly in the more reserved class of Pakistanis. Nonetheless, modern families particularly the elite class ensures equal participation of both ladies and gents in the function. Dress code: Yellow is the most dominant color in a traditional Pakistani Mehndi function. Yellow color is associated with Mehndi because Mehndi itself is a strong shade of yellowish brown. Yellow color reflects in the stage, flowers, decoration, dresses, ribbons, bridal dress and the curtains. Most ladies wear shades of yellow. The dresses are bordered with golden ribbons to maintain the yellow theme along with lending the touch of festival to ordinary yellow clothes. Men, on the other hand, have no specific color definition for their Mehndi dresses. They may wear any color from white to black. Again, there is variation in the color scheme in men’s Mehndi dresses depending upon the conservatism of the people celebrating the function. In extremely well organized Mehndi functions, all men and boys that are related to the bride or groom wear Kurta Shalwar of same color, usually white or black. The Kurta is topped with a Pattu. Men’s Pattus seem very much like the girls’ Dupattas, though they are actually quite different. Men’s Pattus are longer than girls’ dupattas and are specifically meant for the function of Mehndi. Other than the Mehndi function, Pakistani men do not wear Pattus. (â€Å"Pakistan Mehndi Dresses Pictures†). Significance of Mehndi: Mehndi being an essential component of a traditional Pakistani wedding, speaks of the livelihood of Pakistanis and the beauty of the culture of Pakistan. The function incurs a lot of cost to th e organizers. In fact, a major part of the total expenses of a traditional Pakistani wedding goes into the Mehndi function. Despite its huge cost, people organize it for no other

Comparative essay between two short stories Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Comparative between two short stories - Essay Example In James Joyce’s short story â€Å"Araby† and Nino Ricci’s short story â€Å"Going to the Moon†, the main characters are younger children, but they each go through this three-stage process to be more self-aware by the end of the story. The first step of becoming self-aware is the realization that you are not like everyone else. This realization forces the individual to separate from their comfortable environment and discover personal feelings. Joyce’s story begins on a small street, North Richmond Street, in a small area of town in which life seems relatively bland. In the image of his friend’s older sister, the narrator becomes separated from the rest, suddenly solitary as â€Å"every morning I lay on the floor in the front parlour watching her door. The blind was pulled down to within an inch of the sash so that I could not be seen† (Joyce). In describing his actions, the boy is undoubtedly alone and isolated as he encounters new feelings and impressions that are completely new to him. This is similar to the way that the narrator of â€Å"Going to the Moon† feels in his school as he tells his audience â€Å"I had the sense that we were both of us merely interlopers at school, moving uncertainly through a world that refused to admit us† (Ricci). Both of these boys must watch the world from a point of isolation from the crowd. However, in both stories, the protagonist is encouraged to take action regarding their feelings. In volunteering to bring something back for her from Araby, the boy in Joyce’s story begins the journey into understanding expected behaviors as well as the realities of the consequences. The narrator describes the ordeal he endures waiting for the day determined for him to go to the fair and then the turmoil he experiences as he waits for his uncle to return home so that he can get the necessary money. After this lengthy build-up, he is expecting Araby to be a magical land where glorious things might be obtained and