Re: What’s with mixed gatherings at mehendi these days?
I think men leaving the room when girls start dancing is a great compromise and halal way of having a combined event if a family really finds this issue important. The only problem is while the girls are having all the fun, the bichare men are sitting there in an empty room with plain tables and chairs twiddling their thumbs wondering what’s going on in the other room. I’ve been to Mehndi’s like this and it’s TORTURE if you’re a guy, but are “obligated” to go because the bride is your cousin or close friend. If you do it this way, PLEASE make sure you provide some sort of entertainment for the men also. Maybe just a TV to watch a sports game going on, serving paan for the uncles, or other board games, etc.
Also, this becomes an issue of the groom’s or bride’s guy cousins or guy friends want to do a dance. No group of guys are going to dance just in front of other men, lol, that’s really weird. I was at one where I was told to dance with another guy in front of women and men, and then they kicked all the guys out for the girls dance part. I think that’s more okay…