A Baraat inside the grounds of a private venue needs no permission from anyone but the venue. A Baraat on a public road in Marrakech needs a permit, and the answer depends entirely on which road.
The horse
Marrakech has good horses. The city has a working equestrian tradition and white Arabians are available, groomed and dressed, with a handler who stays for the whole procession.
What is not standard is Indian ceremonial tack. The embroidered headpiece, the mirror work, the kalgi on the groom's turban. Those either come with you in a suitcase or are made locally, and made locally takes about six weeks.
Where you can actually process
Inside a palmeraie estate or a palace's own grounds, anywhere you like. A long drive is better than a short one, because a Baraat that lasts ninety seconds is a disappointment after everyone has dressed for it.
On a public street, you need municipal permission, and it is easier outside the medina than inside it. We have never had a request refused outright, but the timing gets negotiated and a Friday afternoon near a mosque is not going to happen.
Dhol and the band
Dhol players fly in. Moroccan percussion is superb and it is not dhol, and a Baraat sounds wrong without it. Two players minimum, four if the procession is long or the guest count is above three hundred.
They need power if there is any amplification, and they need to be fed. A Baraat runs late more often than not, and dhol players who have been standing in the sun since four are not going to give you the entrance you paid for.
- Can you have a Baraat with a horse in Marrakech?
- Yes. White horses with handlers are readily available in Marrakech, which has its own equestrian tradition. Inside a private estate no permission is needed beyond the venue's. Processing on a public road requires municipal permission, which is more straightforward outside the medina than inside it.
- Do you need to bring dhol players to Morocco?
- Yes. Moroccan percussion traditions are strong but distinct from dhol, so dhol players are flown in. Two is the minimum, four for a long procession or a guest count above three hundred.