Traditional Khoja Ceremonies
The Chatti, a sixth-day ceremony after birth.
On that day, a "bajot" or wooden stool is placed near the mother's bed, on which the child and mother are bathed and dressed. On the evening of the sixth day the following items are placed on the stool: a red pen, an ink stand or blank book, a knife, and a garland of flowers.
The pen, ink, and paper symbolize the goddess of fortune who is believed to write down the destiny of the newborn child. Along with the wooden stool, a "chaumukh" (a four-sided butter-fed dough lamp) is also placed there and lighted, and next to it a box of Chinese firecrackers.
As each of the family relatives comes to visit, she strews a little rice near the stool, laying her present of gold or silver anklets and bracelets on the ground. Then each female bends over the mother and baby and takes their "balayen" or ills upon herself by passing her hands over them and cracking their finger joints against her temples. The baby is then laid on the ground on the strewn rice. Then the mother rises and respects the child by bowing toward it and the "chaumukh" on the stool.
Then the firecrackers are ignited and the child is laid in its mother's lap.
Finalization of Marriage Contract
The fathers or male guardians of the couple meet three or four days before at the jamaat-khana or assembly lodge with their friends and relatives and the mukhi or another jamaat officer. The officer registers the name of the bride and the groom. The father of the bridegroom gives a token 5.25 rupees to the father of the bride. The sum is received by the girl's father and handed to the jamaat officer as a contribution to the welfare Fund.
The groom's friends place before the jamaat officer, a copper or brass vessel containing from 5 to 10 seers of sugars. The sugar tray is placed Before the bride's father as a sign of acceptance of the compact. He tastes it, and then it is distributed among those present.
Next morning a written agreement is prepared. A marriage certificate in legal form is issued..
