Hey Sweet Souls!
Hope trying to make existence beautiful in the light of your wisdom:)
Few of you may be felt curious why bride looks serious and why she had to hide her face in veil ?
I just while ago asked same to the Google. There were many replies but I cancelled the search due to lack of time before I check further details.
Let me tell you through my personal observations and experience as i belong to era when the tradition was followed regularly in my village.
There were many interesting customs for all wedding events that would display enthusiasm ,humour and happiness of both parties. I will leave rest for another time and talk about the "face hiding " tradition by the bride only. Among all I found this most fascinating and intriguing. I had many girl cousins to whom I got chance to be a wedding friend. Bride and Groom had to be put on rest weeks before their wedding start. For two weeks groom and bride would be treated by family and friends as "special " people. Both would be given seven wedding friends that would stay with them until the last day of the wedding. Those friends could be their same old friends. But if old friends are less than seven more wedding friends would be added to complete course. Those friends of bride and groom would assist them in each work .In other words the friends would try hard to save both parties from exposure or tiredness or any mental stress that common routine of life can bring.
Bride would be separated from common portion of the house under excessive use and is kept in some corner room where only seven of her friends can see her including female family members. I remember how much I enjoyed those long fun nights when we all girls would talk and laugh, beat drum ,sing and dance when party was over late night in other parts of house one of friend would accompany the bride even to bathroom (outside of course). Meanwhile bride would mostly keep her face behind long veil of her shawl.
Back then I just enjoyed all that never thought what and why. Bride 's face would remain hidden until she would join her husband. Thought female family would see her glimpse once she is ready to leave.
But now when I try to ponder on this I feel that behind all these traditions was purpose to give both parties time to take break from usual daily chores and relax so they can revive their mental energy to face new journey of life.
I miss how specially girl was treated back in olden times. She was not mere piece of flesh or body but her personality reflected purity, divinity ,grace ,dignity ,live ,patience and sacrifice. A chain in which whole family is beaded so beautifully. Her wisdom was light for all living around her.Her strength was source that would empower whoever got close to her. Yes I consider myself lucky that i could witness some beauty of old lifestyle. A girl when was supposed to leave her parents house in orderto join new family and a new man as husband. She is given time to secure all her inner strength beauty and purity before. To achieve the certain level of this bride is kept in comparatively dark room where even sun hesitate to look at her as he may not dim the sacred glow of her face . I think old people believed that such dwelling would create a exceptional glory around her personality that would charm the groom when he would remove the veil first time. Just like a halo around moon add fantasy and little mystery to the beauty of moon.
I hope I could share what I wanted to dear friends.
See you soon. Blessings to you and to all you love precious people!
