For Darlina ,the Majlis Berinai was held on Friday night before the wedding and since she had not gone through the solemnisation ceremony, it was a Berinai Kecil.It was supposed to start at 8.00pm but as Malaysians, we were fashionably late.We were waiting for my sister to bring the henna to be used for the ceremony. She had personally pounded the henna leaves to a paste.
When we were ready to start the ceremony, Darlina sat on the dais which had been erected for the occasion.She looked demure in a dark green kebaya ( a traditional dress comprising of a fitting tunic and long fitting skirt) made of songket (cloth weaved with gold thread).What was special was that the kebaya was the same one I wore for my wedding almost 33 years ago ! And it fit her like a glove.
Darlina sat on the dais with her palms on her knees facing upwards. A betel vine was placed on each palm. The ceremony began with my mother-in-law blessing the bride by placing a bit of henna on each palm followed by potpourri made of thinly-sliced pandan leaves and jasmine petals. This was followed by sprinkling scented water on her. I was next, and other female family members and friends then performed the blessing.
Once the blessing was over ,Darlina had her hands and feet painted with henna by a professional henna artist. The rest of us enjoyed the food prepared by the caterer comprising of tomato rice,ayam masak merah (chicken in red sauce),acar timun (cucumber and pineapple salad),dalca (mild vegetable curry) and papadom (crackers). As for the bride to be, as her hands had henna, her close friends fed her !
Seeing the beautiful intricate design on Darlina's hands and feet,family members couldn't resist to have their hands painted as well.
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