jewellery is mostly of silver with one or two pieces of gold.
As soon as outside members of the Clan are informed of the wedding, they procure or prepare presents for the bride and the bride-groom also. They give them to the opposite parties, a brother of the bride's mother will give presents to the bride-groom, while a lady who may be a sister of the bride-groom's father will bring her presents for the bride.
There are no hard and fast rules as to those guests who are not very intimately related to the young people; they may or may not give presents. Some friends offer coin of silver or gold.
About two or three months prior to the date of the marriage, invitations are sent far and wide. A poet is requested to versify a form of invitation. It consists of from twenty to thirty couplets; and is written with golden ink on a red glazed paper with floral designs on the margin. It bears no family crest—which are not commonly used—and begins like other Muslim writings with either "God is great," or "By the name of the Allah, the compassionate, the merciful!" Under this text is the date of the marriage, the address and the name of the bride-groom, but not of the bride, who is referred to as "the daughter of So-and-so." Modesty prevents disclosure of the name of the lady. It is of interest to note that these invitations are sent out by the bride-groom's parents and not on behalf of the bride's people. The announcement reads something like the following:—
"By the name of the Allah, the Compassionate, the merciful!"
Muhammad Khan, the 'light of the eyes of Yākūb Khān, is to be married to the daughter of Yāsīn Khān. The date of this lucky event is 10th of Shaban. Your participation in the functions and ceremonies, will for ever place us under your honourable obligation. We spread our eyes under your feet.
