India is a land of many cultures and regions. Each of them
follows a religion that has its own set of rites and rituals for marriages as
well as other occasions. This diversity is what makes our country a beautiful
blend of traditions and colours.
Weddings of every region and community differ from each
other, yet what remains common is the respect for traditions and their rich
spiritual significance. Bengali weddings too are an elaborate amalgamation of
rituals, which are a beautiful visual treat filled with colours and merriment.
Here we bring to you some basic rituals and traditions that are part of a
Bengali wedding.
Pre-wedding Rituals and Traditions
Adan Pradan
After the couple approves of each other as life partners,
their families get together along with a priest. The priest studies their
horroscopes to make sure that there is no matching line of lineage between the
two parties. Then both the families exchange gifts.
Aashirbaad
This ritual is done as a mark of acceptance for the bride
and the groom by their respective in-laws. The bride’s family visits the
groom’s house to shower their blessing on him and vice versa. They sprinkle
trefoil leaves and husked rice on the would-be bride and groom, and gift gold
ornaments to them.
Vridhi Puja
This puja is done to remember and take the blessings of the
bride and groom’s ancestors.
Aai Budo Bhaat
In simpler terms, it is the night when the bride enjoys her
last meal at her parent’s house before she gets married. This is a night
dedicated to her, where her family and close friends sing and dance.
Gae Halud Tattva
In this ritual, the bride receives gifts that are sent to
her with love from her in-laws. The bride is presented sarees, makeup products,
different sweets, paan, curd, fish, husked rice and many more traditionally
significant things.
Dodhi Mongol
This ceremony is performed on the dawn of the wedding day at
the houses of both the parties separately. The would-be couple is accompanied
by a few married women to a nearby pond, where they take blessings from Goddess
Ganga. They bride and the groom then bring home a pitcher of water from that
pond.
Holud Kota and Snan ritual
Similar to the Haldi ceremony in North India, in this ritual
either five or seven married women apply turmeric paste and oil to both the
bride and the groom in their respective houses. They are then supposed to bathe
and wear new clothes.
Sankha Porana
This ritual is also dedicated to the bride. Here, seven
married women make the bride wear conch shell bangles known as the Shakha
(white bangles) and Paula (red bangles). She wears a pair of red bangles
followed by a pair of white ones. After this she gets ready for the wedding.
Wedding Rituals and Traditions
Bor Jatri
This is where it all begins as the groom’s family proceeds
to the wedding venue.
Welcoming the groom
In this ritual, a baran dala (a plate) is touched to the
groom’s forehead then to the ground and again to his forehead. After this, the
bride’s mother performs an aarti and welcomes her guests into the venue and
sweets are served.
Potto Bastra
In this the groom is given new clothes by the bride’s family
after he is seated at the wedding alter, also known as the Chadnatolla. After
this the bride enters the mandap.
Saat Paak
This is a
beautiful site to be witnessed only at a Bengali wedding where the bride sits
on a wooden stool called a pidi/piri, and is carried to the mandap by
her brothers or uncles. The bride is not supposed to see her groom when she
enters the mandap, so she has to keep her eyes covered with sacred
beetle leaves. Keeping her lifted up on the stool, her brothers’ then walk
around the groom seven times.
Subho Dristi
After the
seven rounds, when the bride and the groom look at each other in presence of
all the guests, this is called Subho Dristi.
Mala
Badal
After
that, bride and groom exchange flower garlands while the bride is still seated
on the pidi. They exchange the garlands three times.
Sampradan
Here, the
bride and groom both sit at the altar as an elder member of the bride’s family
(who carried out the Potto Bastra earlier) gives the bride’s hand in to the
groom’s hand. Then their hands are tied with a sacred thread as the priest
recites Vedic chants.
Yagna and
Saptapadi
Yagna, is
where the priest recites mantras and the couple sits in front of the holy fire
while he does so. The couple then take seven rounds around the fire, which are
known as Saptapadi/Saat paak. The bride and the groom also have to touch seven
suparis kept on seven paan leaves with their toes.
Anjali
Ritual
Herein,
the couple offers puffed rice handed over by the bride's brother, to the fire
God.
Sindoor
Daan
After all
the rituals are done, the groom applies sindoor on the bride’s hair parting.
This marks the completion of their marriage rituals. After this, the bride
covers her head with a Ghomta, a new saree gifted to her by her in-laws.
Post-wedding
Rituals and Traditions.
Bidaay
This is
the time where the bride bids farewell to her family and leaves for her new
home with her husband and in-laws.
Bou Baran
In this
ritual, the newlyweds are welcomed to the groom’s home. Female relatives pour
holy water under the vehicle in which the couple arrives. At the door, the
bride then steps into a large plate containing lac dye (red in colour) and
milk, and enters the new house leaving colourful footprints on the floor.
Kaal
Ratri
The bride
and groom have to sleep in separate rooms on their first night in the groom's
home.
Bou Bhaat
The new
bride in this ritual has to cook a dish for her new family. A lunch or dinner
party is also hosted for the groom’s relatives and friends.
Phool
Shojja
This is
the last of all wedding ceremonies. This will be the couple’s first night
together as husband and wife. Their room and the bed is decorated with flowers.
The bride also gets ready in a new saree and wears flower ornaments.
Every
Bengali community has certain different rituals and traditions attached to
their weddings. But all said and done, Bengali weddings truly are a visual
treat filled with colours, sounds and beauty!
