"My Brother's Wedding"

After living for three years in the United States, I went to back my country, Pakistan, to attend my brother’s wedding. I was very happy that finally time had come to again see my whole family, cousins and especially my friends.
 

The day I was leaving the United States was tough because I knew after a few hours I would be in a different environment and everything would change. I flew from New York to Karachi, Pakistan.

When I came out from the airport I saw my brother and sister waiting for me. I smiled and hugged them. We went home.  It was 7am in the morning when I entered my home and I saw my mother standing and waiting for me. When I saw her I ran toward her and hugged her. I was so very happy that my tears flowed.

I arrived in my country one week before my brother’s wedding. In my culture there are so many ceremonies in the wedding like “Dholki”, “Baraat” and “Valima”. The day I arrived there was also a ceremony called “Dholki” in the evening. “Dholki” is the ceremony where we all gather in the bride’s house and the bride and groom exchange rings,the bride's parents give gifts to cousins and there is a dance competition. It’s all so much fun.

When I arrived in the “Dholki” ceremony, everyone was shocked and surprised to see me as I didn’t tell anyone that I was coming to Pakistan to attend my brother’s wedding because I wanted to surprise everyone. They were happy to see me after 3 years.

My house decorate with lights

In the wedding there was so much work like decorating the house with lights, taking family to shopping, going to the wedding hall to see what’s happening over there, and to see the arrangements in the hall and the stage.



The Wedding hall

Later there was a day called “Baraat” which is all arranged by the bride’s parents. That day the bride’s family and guests come first and rest of the family, cousins and guest come together after an hour. In “Baraat”, the groom brings the bride home after signing a Nikkah papers (marriage certificate). So that day was all filled with fun and I met all the relatives and my old friends and my old cousins seemed all grown up. It was a memorable day.

Then there is the final celebration called “Valima” (reception). It is all arranged by the groom's parents. I helped to make those arrangements.

Wedding stage

Finally towards the end of the day it was time to say good bye to all my relatives and family as I was not going to see them anytime soon again. I was a little depressed too, but there was a new addition to our family and that thought cheered me up and I departed my homeland with happy memories.