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Datar (the
salt ceremony)
After
friends and family have greeted the
couple, they leave for the grooms
house. At the entrance of their new
home, the brides feet are rinsed by
the grooms parents. A cover is placed
over her head as she sprinkles milk in
all corners of the house. This
signifies that she will maintain the
respect of the family and that if
there are any misunderstandings within
the family, she is supposed to help
solve or "cool" them.
Surrounded by her new family, the
bride picks up a handful of salt and
places it in the hands of her husband.
He passes it back into her hands
without spilling any salt. This is
done three times. Similarly, the «datar»
is carried out with all members of the
grooms family. Exchanging salt symbolizes
that just as salt blends in
and gives taste to food, so must the
bride blend in and become a part of
her new family.
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