Know about Meghalaya's Khasi tribe, where the groom follows bride's home

New Delhi: Every India state has its own wedding culture and traditions. The north eastern state of Meghalaya is well known for its Khasi tribe which has a unique wedding custom. The Khasi weddings are unique in their own way as the society is matrilineal. The Khasi people form the majority of the population of eastern Meghalaya.The matrilineal system operates with property names and wealth passing from mother to daughter rather than from father to son. The youngest daughter inherits, children take their mother's surname, and once married, men live in their mother-in-law's home. The women are treated with respect and enjoy more rights than men. Marriage alliance between two people of the same clan is not allowed in the state of Meghalaya. Some intriguing customs and traditions in the Meghalaya weddings include the practice of girls proposing to boys. Young men and women are permitted considerable freedom in the choice of mates. Potential marriage partners are likely to have been acquainted before betrothal. Traditional weddings in Meghalaya are elaborate in nature and are preceded by engagement. Marriage happens if both families give their consent. Both girls and the boys of the tribe have the liberty to pick their own desired partners and in some cases, formal wedding ceremonies do not take place at all. The ceremony takes place at the abode of the bride and the couple exchange rings or betel nut bags. There is no existence of dowry system in traditional Meghalaya weddings. An interesting fact about marriages in Khasi tribe is that the groom shifts into the bride's ancestral place after marriage. The woman is regarded as the only custodian of all the wealth and the children of the wedded couple take the mother's maiden name as their surname. Just like the tradition of wedding, the clothing style is also unique. As a part of the tradition, a portion of the bride's wedding attire as well as jewellery is given by the groom. The bride dresses herself in traditional Khasi outfit for her wedding day. She wears a dhara or Jainesm as it is known in local language. Both of these dresses are quite detailed and comprise of not one but several pieces of clothing, and hence give a cylindrical shape to the woman's body. The Jainesm includes two pieces of contrasting fabrics, which rest on each shoulder. The bride also wears a crown on her wedding day which is either made from gold or from silver, and a peak is attached to its back. The groom's traditional outfit is called Jymphong. It a long coat without any sleeves or collar, and it is fastened with the aid of two straps attached in the front.