Wedding Expenses

Written by: Najia Nijat

Sana and Halim are the guests of Lalo Mama. They see some people are coming out of the castle. When Lalo Mama arrives, they ask about the people. Lalo Mama says that the princess of the castle has engaged and those people had brought the expenditures of her wedding.

Sana asks about the wedding expenditures. Lalo Mama opens a window for their information.

Window:

In the window, the reporter of the castle says that wedding expenditures is a custom of some Afghans and differs from one place to another. Fatima, a resident of Kunar Province says to the reporter:

Wedding expenses include rice, meat, onion, potatoes, tomatoes, tea, sugar, firewood and some other necessities. The groom’s family buy these items and collect some relatives and neighbors to carry these expenditures to the bride’s house. The bride’s family prepare a meal for all guests and at the returning time, they give a pair of clothes to each of the participants. Some people in remote places carry these expenditures on the back of donkeys and the bride’s family hang a colorful handkerchief in the neck of the donkeys.

Lalo Mama closes the window. Halim sits on the ground and says that he gets tired very soon. Lalo Mama says that it could be caused by the deficiency of calcium. Halim asks about the signs of it. Lalo Mama opens to them another window:

Window:

 In the window, Nawid has come to a hospital to visit Ilham. Ilham says: I fell on the ground and broke my leg. Nawid asks that why your bones are so thin? Ilham says that the doctor of the clinic had my leg x-ray and blood exam. He says that I have faced with deficiency of calcium. The doctor said to my father, if someone has a deficiency of calcium, he/she might suffer from the pain of joints, arms and legs pain; face hair loss; his/her teeth might gradually decay and might have insomnia.

Ilham says that the doctor advised him to eat dairy products as milk, yogurt, cheese, egg, vegetables and fresh fruits.

Lalo Mama closes this window too. Halim promises to eat dairy products, fresh fruits, and vegetables.