With rising population and prices of land and housing, the old system of accommodating many guests is dying. I remember when i was young, our grandmother had four huge trunks, size of a suv, filled with quilts and pillows. We had a store full of charpais. When guests came these were taken out and women used to sleep in the central courtyard and roof, while men in the front courtyard.
In countryside, there used to be haweelis and a central womens yard. In Sindh i think there were awtaaks to take the guests. Soon these will be things of the past.
you are right. increase in inflation has hit these customs. My Ammi was telling that 'ab shadiyon main wo maza kahan'. In there times, there used to be preparation of marriage ceremonies weeks before and they invited guests from other cities as well who used to live for weeks'.
yes! in rural India, where i come from, used to see the same. we had extra set of liHaaf, gadda and charpaaiis to accommodate and provide for guests. in cities, in India, i've seen gadda, liHaaf, chaarpaaii rental stores where you could rent those essentials but we personally never rented for fear of bugs [khaTmals] in them [lol].
in my village, during December, we used to have two weeks of health N recreational programs which included bait baazii, mushaira, qawwali, dinner, lunches, sports, card N board game competitions and 3-day hunting trips on the river Ganges. my village had a very literary environment...we were/are zameendaars so none of us had anything to do with farming/dairy...none of us had live stock, poultry in our homes...na jaanwar na murGhiyaaN! now, those good days are ALL gone replaced by gun-culture and GhunDa-gardii because ALL those people are either dead or moved away to cities...sad! :(
I never seen lihaaf and charpais given on rentals. People borrow these from the neighbors, when they need them. shamiyana and crockery is taken on rentals. Few years back, one of my cousin made a small organisation which besides other things, used to provide such things free of cost to the families where someone died.
I never seen lihaaf and charpais given on rentals. People borrow these from the neighbors, when they need them. shamiyana and crockery is taken on rentals. Few years back, one of my cousin made a small organisation which besides other things, used to provide such things free of cost to the families where someone died.
in India, we do have rentals but mostly weaker sections of our society rent from them for shaadii-byaah...it's quite common in India...
...as far as shaadii ke bartan rentals are concerned, my village masjid had it ALL and people used to rent them for shaadii byaah. there was no Hindu in our village so rental was ONLY for Muslims...even if there were, i'm sure they wouldn't have rented from Masjid those plates in which gosht was served...lol
yes, we did loan those items from friends and relatives.
BTW the typical autaaq / chopaal concept has also died due to private drawing rooms, where only people from same circle can be entertained. Chopaal and otaaqs were more open places for general public
BTW the typical autaaq / chopaal concept has also died due to private drawing rooms, where only people from same circle can be entertained. Chopaal and otaaqs were more open places for general public
yes, agree...we called them 'chaupaal', 'baiThak, 'darvaaza' yaa 'baGhal'...i those baiThaks/chaupaals, young people usually didn't sit...they had their own baiThakas...there were a few in my village [by the railway tracks]. i remember, this old man in my village had a baiThakaa where there was a transistor radio which blared BBC Urdu Service New and older folks gathered there listened to the news religiously. aaahhhh, those days are history now! :(
BTW the typical autaaq / chopaal concept has also died due to private drawing rooms, where only people from same circle can be entertained. Chopaal and otaaqs were more open places for general public
My relatived used to have otaaks now they are servant quarters
Muqwee Bhai, do you remember 'akhaaRaas'? ... akhaaRaa culture bhii ab naa-pai'd ho gayaa...mere daadaa ke bhai pahelwaan bhii the so mere aabaaii ghar ke ek Hisse meN unkaa akhaaRaa thaa jahaN pahelwaan gaaoN ke ikaTThe hote aur vo kushtii [dangal kii kushtii] ke daao pesh, aasan, daao aur taraakeeb bataayaa aur sikhaayaa karte the...ham ghar ke us Hisse ko aaj bhii 'akhaaRaa' hii kahte haiN jahaN sabziyaaN lagaaii jaatii haiN har saal barsaat meN.
In college days, we got an assignment to introduce an organisation. So I first selected a body building gym and went to interview the owner. hearing about the diet of pehlwaans, I changed my mind and selected an other organisation ‘Aurat Foundation’ for my assignment.
OMG...what a mistake...agar pahelwaan kii diet kaa pataa ho jaataa to kisii kaam aa taa u ke...ab 'aurat foundation' se kia milaa? lol
kacha anda aur 6 martaba khane walon ko sun kar hi maine toba karli... Aurat Foundation per presentation ke baad at least college ki laRkiyon ne dheron daad to di ;)
BTW mehmaan-nawazi custom also affected by guests who can't be satisfied with the guests arrangements. as we discussed some guests feel it low, when they are served with beef
kacha anda aur 6 martaba khane walon ko sun kar hi maine toba karli... Aurat Foundation per presentation ke baad at least college ki laRkiyon ne dheron daad to di ;)
BTW mehmaan-nawazi custom also affected by guests who can't be satisfied with the guests arrangements. as we discussed some guests feel it low, when they are served with beef
true...some are 'difficult guests' than others.
i also believe the guests must be mindful of the limitations [both physical and financial] their hosts might have so they must limit their length of visit and always make their beds and keep the area clean and try to help with chores. agree? a good guest is the one hosts really want them to visit again! :)
kacha anda aur 6 martaba khane walon ko sun kar hi maine toba karli... Aurat Foundation per presentation ke baad at least college ki laRkiyon ne dheron daad to di ;)
BTW mehmaan-nawazi custom also affected by guests who can't be satisfied with the guests arrangements. as we discussed some guests feel it low, when they are served with beef
I think the difficult guests are also present day thing. Old days guests were not like sitting on bum waiting to be entertained 24 hours, they used to take part in household chores like rest of the family members.
I think the difficult guests are also present day thing. Old days guests were not like sitting on bum waiting to be entertained 24 hours, they used to take part in household chores like rest of the family members.
Host is taken as granted by guests... In old days, when during wedding functions, guests used to stay for weeks in dulha / dulhan house, they used to take part in works like cleaning of the house, grinding wheat, etc that used to make host's life easier. Today's guest are only responsibility on the hosts shoulder increasing his burden
you are right. increase in inflation has hit these customs. My Ammi was telling that 'ab shadiyon main wo maza kahan'. In there times, there used to be preparation of marriage ceremonies weeks before and they invited guests from other cities as well who used to live for weeks'.
Same thing my dad and mom says ke shadiyon mein ab woh maza kahan
In college days, we got an assignment to introduce an organisation. So I first selected a body building gym and went to interview the owner. hearing about the diet of pehlwaans, I changed my mind and selected an other organisation ‘Aurat Foundation’ for my assignment.