India is a country with various traditions, culture, customs and beliefs. Weddings here are filled with ceremonies, glamour and togetherness. There are plenty of peculiar pre and post wedding customs from asking ransom for groom’s shoes to bride’s family singing gaalis to getting married to an animal, the list is endless.
We all think that marriages in west are high on scrumptious food and wine with no traditions. But here are some unusual (and shocking!) wedding traditions around the world
No using the loo
In Tidong community, the bride and groom cannot pee or poop for 72 hours before the marriage. The couple is kept an eye upon so that they don’t cheat. The poor couple is starved of food, but given little quantities of water. It is believed if the couple gets over this pain, they would have a many children and none of them will die.
Slaughtering of Cow
The Zulu are the largest South African ethnic group. Zulu people have a tradition of slaughtering a cow on the wedding day. In a tradition wedding ceremony the groom’s family slaughters a cow to welcome the bride. The bride places money inside the stomach of the cow to symbolize that she is now part of the family. Though this practice is criticised by the animal lovers but the Zulu people still follow it.
Dressing up as a girl
In Kenya the groom is dressed like a female for a month after the wedding. It is believed that the first month after the wedding, the groom should wear women’s clothes to fully enjoy and understand the hardships of being a woman.
Two kids after marriage is mandatory
In Sudan, North Africa, the groom must give 20-40 cattle to the bride’s family. Secondly, it is believed that the marriage is not complete until the woman has two children. If she fails to do so the groom can get a divorce. Besides divorce the husband gets the cattle or the first child.
Kissing tradition
In Sweden the kissing tradition is not the usual kiss between the bride and groom. In this unique tradition, if the bride or groom, leaves the room during the wedding reception the guests gets a chance of kissing the other half. If the groom goes out every male in the reception gets a chance to kiss the bride!
