Popular Bengali wedding rituals you should know if you are getting married in the Bengali style!

India has a rich culture that attracts tourists from across the world. India has various cultures and occasions, but a Bengali wedding is a traditional one that can make you forget everything. The Bengali wedding is not an event that can be discussed in a short span of time. It is a serious affair that needs to be planned not only according to the traditions of the land but also according to the taste and preferences of the bride and the groom. In this article, we will discuss some funny, interesting, and unique things that have created Bengali weddings more unique.

Bengali wedding

The Bengali Weddings are quite large and elaborate affairs it takes 4-5 day long affair where you need to wear the traditional attire for the entire duration basically it is a celebration of color and culture. The celebration begins with a lot of rituals and culminates in a full-blown affair. Bengali weddings are usually held in the summertime and serve as a joyous occasion for a family to come together and celebrate the union of two lives into one. This blog post will help you know more about the Bengali wedding ceremony and its different subcultures.

Pre-Wedding

Aiburobhat- The Last Meal for Bride

Aiburo means “the last meal taken by the person while the person is still not married and going to marry”. It is a blessing ceremony done by both families. Generally, family members grandmothers, mothers all women make various special dishes for the person about to get married. Close friends and relatives also join this ritual with gifts and various types of sweets. A similar ritual is observed at the groom’s place where he takes his last meal as a bachelor

Dodhi Mongal- A Special Meal on Early Morning

This ritual is organized before the sun rises, there the bride and groom are offered a healthy mixture made of sweet curd, rice flakes, banana, and sweets like Sandesh in copious quantity before sunrise. This is the only meal that will be consumed one time before married. They are not supposed to consume anything except sweets and water.

Ganga Nimantran – Inviting the River Ganga

In the afternoon mother of the bride and groom are accompanied by a few married women of the family and neighborhoods towards the river with betel leaf, betel nut, Haldi(turmeric), sindoor, and lamp. There they invite the river Ganga Ma, doing puja to dedicate Ganga. after puja, they carried water from Ganga. This will use whole marriage rituals.

Nandimukh Shradh – Paying Tribute to Seven Past Generations

The elder person of the family and also the father of the bride and groom perform this ritual in their respective homes. Here they invite and offer their seven generations of paternal ancestors to appease their souls and seek their blessings.

Gaye Holud and Tattwa- applying turmeric which is already used by the groom

It is the funniest ritual of Bengali pre-wedding, here turmeric paste with oil mixed fast applied on the groom’s body by their family friends, and all. After that rest turmeric they put on a silver or copper bowl, and along with that yellow sari, various sweets, fish, and jewelry which is called Tattwa. For this particular ritual, the bride wears a particular yellow sari and costume.

Wedding Rituals

Bor Boron – Welcoming the Groom

After Taking His Mother’s Blessing The Groom Starts His Journey In A Specially Decorated Car. Towards The Wedding Venue, Accompanied By A Few Of His Friends And Relatives. These People Accompanying The Groom Are Called Bor Jatri. After Arriving Bride’s Mother Welcomes The Groom With Baron-Dala. She Does Aarti And Feeds Him Sweets And Water.

Ashirbaad– Blessings from Elders

For this ritual first, in the morning time, older members of the bride’s family visit the groom’s house to give him blessings and gifts like a gold chain, bracelet, and gold ring. for this particular ritual, they offer the groom delicious “pies”. The same procedure is repeated by the elders of the groom’s family where they bless her and present her with pieces of jewelry.

Patta Bastra – The Sacred Attire

After being seated at the wedding mandap which is called  “chadnatala”. he is offered new clothes by the bride’s father or another elder person who going to sampradaan.

Saat Paak & Subho Drishti

After Potto Bastra groom comes to the wedding mandap them the priest doing puja is performed along with the who will do the Kanna  Sampradan. after finishing puja groom changes his place. then the bride enters the wedding mandap she seated is a wooden platform known as piri which is carried by 4 young male members. that time bride covers her face using betel leaf. after seven round the bride and the groom look at each other, the bride remove the betel leaf in front of her face and looks at the groom.

Mala Bodol-Exchange of Garlands

Next the bride and the groom exchange garlands in a ritual as known as Mala Bodol. the relative of both families adds some fun elements they try to create it difficult to reach.

Kanya Sampradan

Here Usually The Father Of The Bride Gives Her Daughter’s Hand To The Groom, It Is Bound By A Sacred Thread, And The Priest Chants The Mantras Whereby The Bride Is Officially Given Away To The Groom.

Hom Yagya

The priest utters Vedic Mantras and calls all dame gods to pay the blessing. All the while they have to periodically make offerings to the fire after the verses end.

Saptapadi

This ritual is similar to saat paak , here the priest ties knot between the end of the bride’s saree and the groom’s shawl. The couple then has to go around the fire seven times, while uttering the seven sacred vows.

Anjali

In this ritual bride and groom, offerings pour into the fire, The bride’s brother help’s her with the puffed rice, and the groom holds the bride’s hands from behind her while both of them slowly pour the offering into the yagna fire.

Sindoor Daan

In Bengali marriage sindoor daan is the most vital ritual, groom smearing vermillion on the hair parting of the bride, hare groom sometimes use finger ring, silver coin, rice measuring according to their family custom. after the sindoor daan groom’s family members immediately covered the bride’s head with a new saree called lajja-Basra. Thereafter, the bride is considered a married woman since applying sindoor.