The ceremony of the Kena consists in the application of the henna mixture, which is prepared towards morning. The bride, after being divested of her wedding finery, enters the presence of her mother-in-law, shading her eyes with her left arm, while she seats herself in the middle of the room. A silk bath scarf is thrown over her outstretched right hand, and is then thickly plastered over with the henna, upon which her mother-in-law sticks a gold coin, her example being followed by the rest of her company. This hand placed in a silk bag relieves the other in covering her eyes, and the left hand is in its turn extended and gifted in like manner by the bride’s mother and her friends; the feet are also stained with the henna. This is followed by the last dance, called the Sakusum, performed by the Chingis, accompanied by a song and gestures of the most unrestrained and immodest nature, terminating in these dancers taking extraordinary positions before each guest, sometimes even sitting on their knees to receive their reward, which consists of a small gold coin, damped in the mouth, and deposited on their unblushing foreheads. In these proceedings, the modesty and innocence of the young girls present is never thought about.
The bride reposes long enough for the henna to impart its crimson dye, but not to turn black, which would be considered a bad augury.
The only touching scene in the whole course of the wedding ceremonies, the girding of the bride by her father, takes place in the presence of her mother and sisters just before she leaves the home of her childhood. The father enters the room appearing deeply affected, and sometimes even joining his tears to the weeping of his wife and daughters. The bride, also weeping, falls at his feet, kisses them, and kisses his hands, while he presses her to his breast and girds her with the bridal girdle, giving at the same time some good advice and his blessing.
In some district towns the bridegroom’s male friends arrive at dawn with torches to take away the bride. She is not, however, seen by her husband until evening, when he is taken to the mosque, and accompanied to the door of his dwelling by the Imam. A short prayer is offered, the company joining in the refrain of Amin, Amin, at the conclusion of which the happy man is pushed into the house, a shower of blows falling on his back; they then partake of sherbet standing, and disperse. The bridegroom proceeding upstairs comes upon a bowl of water, which he upsets with his foot, scattering the contents in all directions. The Koulavouz meets and conducts him to the nuptial apartment, where the bride, shy and trembling, awaits the introduction of the complete stranger, in whose hands her destiny for good or for evil is now placed.
She rises as he enters and kisses his hand; her bridal veil removed by the Koulavouz is spread on the floor and knelt on by the bridegroom, who offers a solemn prayer, the bride all the time standing on its edge behind him. The couple then sit side by side; the old lady approaching their heads together while she shows them the reflection of their united images in a mirror, and expresses her wishes for the continuation of their present harmonious union.
Masticated sugar is exchanged between them as a token of the sweetness that must henceforth flow from their lips. Coffee follows, after which the Koulavouz retires till her services are again required for bringing in the supper, which consists of sweets and eggs, meat being excluded on the ground that to indulge in it on so solemn an occasion would lead to future bickerings between them.
The supper hour depends upon the shyness, obstinacy, or good-will of the bride, over whom her husband can have no control until he has succeeded in making her respond to his questions. Brides are recommended by experienced matrons to remain mute as long as possible, and the husband is sometimes obliged to resort to a stratagem in order to accomplish this. The anxiously looked-for speech is at once echoed by the relieved husband by a knock on the wall, which is the signal for supper. This partaken of, the bride is divested of her finery and the paint and flowers washed off by the Koulavouz, and left to repose after the fatigue and excitement of five successive days of festivity, still to be extended for two days longer. On the morrow she is again decked in her wedding apparel to receive the crowd of hanoums, invited and uninvited, that flock to the house to gaze upon her.
I have said nothing about the bakhshish, or presents, for the reason that the givers and receivers are legion; nor of the kind of amusement resorted to during these days, since they consist principally in feasting, drinking sherbet, smoking, and chatting, enlivened only by the monotonous music and the spectacle of dancing girls. This part of the entertainment is so disgusting to behold, and so repulsive to describe, that the less I say about them the better; their immodesty can only be matched by the obscene conversations held by the numerous parasites specially introduced for the amusement of the company.
Entertainments of a similar nature take place at the same time in the Selamliks of both houses.
At Constantinople the bride is taken on the Thursday morning from the paternal roof, and conveyed in a carriage to her new home, followed by a train of other carriages, preceded by music and surrounded by buffoons, performing absurd mummeries for the amusement of the party, besides a numerous company of unruly youths, some mounted and others on foot, most of whom get intoxicated and noisy on the occasion. The bride is received by her husband at the door; he offers his arm and conducts her upstairs through the crowd of hanoums, who are not very careful about hiding their faces, on the plea that the bridegroom being otherwise occupied will not look at them. He leads his wife to the bower prepared for her, but before taking her seat a scuffle ensues between them for precedence, each trying to step upon the foot of the other, the successful person being supposed to acquire the right of future supremacy.