The most popular is Ladies Sageet where women sing special songs to the beats of Dholki. This is the last party that the bride gives her folks as a ‘maiden’. The songs range from teasing the bride to making light fun of her in laws, giving her subtle tips on married life and expressing sorrow over her leaving her parent’s house… Closely related to Ladies Sangeet are Mehendi and Chudiyaan ceremony. Chudiyaan takes place a few days before the wedding day wherein friends and sisters put red and green bangles on the bride’s wristes, signifying the start of an auspicious life for her. Mehendi is generally held one or two days before the wedding wherein the bride’s hands and feet are decorated with henna. Her friends and other female relatives also get their hands hennaed. Morning of the wedding day sees the Batna ceremony, where gramflour paste is applied on her body after which she takes a bath and wears her wedding attire. Also, the bride’s maternal uncle gives her a set of 21 red and white ivory bangles to beworn as chooda, which she continues to wear for quite some time even after the wedding.
