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26 Bengali Wedding Rituals and Traditions: Sacred Songs and Vows
26 Bengali Wedding Rituals and Traditions: Sacred Songs and Vows |Mar 18, 2024
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Indian weddings are known for their uniqueness in celebration, intermingling customs and traditions, making them a memorable event for a lifetime. Each Indian state has its own way of celebrating weddings; each ceremony is a feast for the eyes. The Bengali wedding ceremony is a joyous occasion filled with colourful events and interesting rituals that beautifully capture the excitement of the pre-wedding, wedding, and post-wedding celebrations. Let us explore some of the Bengali wedding rituals and traditions that enliven the mood of the celebrations. Read more about: 1. 85 Saree Blouse Designs From Runway to Everyday 2. 40 Types of Sarees: Celebrating the Vibrant Mosaic of Indian Textiles 3. 33 Saree Material Types: Understanding The Versatility of Saree Fabrics Marking the long, beautiful journey of the bride and groom ahead, Bengali weddings incorporate several customs, starting with certain pre-wedding celebrations. The Bengali wedding ceremony begins with the Adan Pradan in which the family members of the bride and groom come together to finalise the wedding date. The family members, along with the priest, gather together to find an auspicious date for the wedding, according to the Hindu panjika. Since this ceremony is more of a private event that involves only family members, the bride and groom dress up in simple outfits. The word Ashirbaad means ‘blessings’. As weddings mark the lifelong journey of the bride and groom together, blessings from parents and elders from both families are essential. In the Ashirbaad ceremony, the family members shower the bride and groom with blessings and gifts. The bride and groom are blessed with rice with husk and trefoil leaves, also known as dubyo. The family members gift the bride gold, which she should wear on the wedding day. The word Aiburo means ‘not married’ and the word bhaat means rice. As the name suggests, the Aiburo-bhaat ritual involves a grand meal with the bride and groom’s favourite dishes. The day before the wedding, the Aiburo-bhaat ceremony takes place in the homes of both the bride and the groom. This event is known as the starting point for all upcoming ceremonies. The bride and groom adorn themselves in beautiful attire and the guests wear Bengal cotton sarees or kurta-pyjamas. The words bor and kone mean groom and bride, respectively. From the Aiburo-bhaat ceremony to the wedding, the groom shall be accompanied by a boy, called Nitbor. Similarly, the girl who accompanies the bride in all these ceremonies is called Nitkone. Unlike other rituals, this event has no religious significance behind it. However, the highlight of this event is the joy of the boy and the girl selected to accompany the couple. Along with bangles, married women in Bengali culture wear bangles made up of conch shells and red coral. The bride’s mother gifts it to her, which she should wear for a year after the marriage. The bride should take good care of the bangles and avoid breaking them. Shankha-Pola is considered to be the symbol of the purity of marriage. It is a private event where only the bride’s family members are present. Ganga, considered to be the holy river, has special significance in auspicious ceremonies. In the Ganga Nimantran ceremony, the river Ganga is worshipped and invited for the auspicious event. The family members walk towards the river, blowing conch shells. They take with them items like betel leaf and nut, turmeric or haldi, light or diya, etc. for the ceremony. After completing the pre-wedding rituals, a series of ceremonies commence, signifying the beginning of the wedding festivities. The morning wedding rituals in Bengali weddings begin with Dodhi Mangal, which takes place separately in the houses of the bride and groom. Soaked flattened rice (chuda) mixed with sweet yoghurt (mishit doi) is given to them, which is the only meal they eat until marriage. You may also like to read: 1. 33 Types of Silk Sarees Popular in India - Masterpieces in Silk 2. 28 Lehenga Dupatta Draping Styles - Flaunt Your Dupatta Like a Pro 3. 29 South Indian Wedding Traditions: Understanding the Bride and Groom's Attire for Each Day Before stepping into a new life, it is important to seek blessings from the ancestors. The bride and groom sit with the oldest family members while performing the Nandi Mukh ceremony. The ceremony has great religious significance and is performed in the presence of the priest, who chants mantras and conducts pujas to seek the ancestors’ blessings. The Gaye Holud takes place in the groom’s house, where turmeric is smeared on the groom’s body. The same turmeric paste that has been applied to the groom’s skin is taken and sent to the bride’s house. Along with the turmeric, the bride is also given several gifts and a saree in yellow and red. After the bride wears this saree, the turmeric paste is applied to her body. Tatta is the ritual of exchanging gifts among the members of both families. These gifts consist of clothes, accessories, and cosmetics for the bride, groom, and their family members, including nitbor and nitkobe. The Bor Boron ceremony involves welcoming the groom, his parents, and friends to the bride’s house. In a beautifully decorated car, the groom arrives at the bride’s house, where the bride’s mother blesses and welcomes him. She gives a warm welcome to the groom by offering him sweets and lighting lamps and aarti. In the Patta Bastra ritual, the groom sits in the mandap while the eldest family members provide him with new clothes- a dhoti and a piece of cloth that the groom wraps around his upper body. Read more about: 1. 29 Traditional Indian Bridal Wear from Different States - Comprehensive Guide 2. How Baraat Showcase India's Rich Cultural Heritage - The Beat Goes On 3. Half Saree Function: Festivities of Femininity For the Subho Drishti ritual, the bride’s brothers bring her to the mandap on a wooden stool. The brothers take her around the groom in circles. The bride then takes away the betel leaves that covered her face, and the bride and groom exchange glances. Mala Bodol is an interesting custom of exchanging garlands between the bride and groom. The bride’s brothers or friends lift her so that the groom finds it difficult to put the garland over the bride. Eventually, the couples exchange the garland, evoking fun and laughter among all, highlighting the celebratory atmosphere of the wedding. Sampradan is a ritual performed by the bride’s father or other elder family members. In this ritual, they hand over the bride to the groom, entrusting her in his hands for a lifetime. After bringing the couple’s hands together, the elder family members proceed to tie a knot, signifying the beginning of their shared journey in the marriage. This ritual is known by the name Kanyadaan in other parts of India. Yagna is a ritual to worship the God of Fire. In this holy ritual, the bride and groom sit with the priest, who chants holy mantras and assists them in performing yagna. The word sapta means seven and padi means steps. In this ritual, the bride’s saree pallu and the groom’s uttariya are tied together. The couple is then asked to take seven rounds around the wedding pyre. The bride’s brother participates in this ritual by pouring puffed rice into her hands, after which the bride and groom jointly offer it to the fire. Following this, the groom applies sindoor to the bride’s forehead. The word Anjali means ‘offering’. It is the ritual of making holy offerings to the fire. The bride’s brother hands over to the bride a tray full of puffed rice. The bride and groom come together and offer the rice to the fire three times. In the Sindoor Daan ritual, the priest asks the groom to apply sindoor to the bride’s forehead. The bride is then asked to put a cloth over her head, called Lajja Bastra. Celebrations in Bengali traditions do not just end with the wedding ceremony. Here are some of the post-wedding rituals at Bengali weddings. After happily completing the wedding rituals, the couple takes part in the Bashor Jaaga ceremony, in which the bride, groom, and close relatives eat dinner together. The bride’s sisters await the groom outside the room, which is called bashor ghor, and playfully demand money to let him inside the room. Only when the groom agrees with the sisters, will he be allowed to go inside the room. The couple and the family chit-chat, sing, dance, and enjoy themselves inside the bashor ghor. There comes the time for the bride to bid farewell to her parents and relatives and join her new family. The newly married couple seeks blessings from all the elder members of the family. Before leaving her home, the bride takes some rice and places it on her mother’s pallu. The time for the bride to leave for the groom’s house varies according to the customs of different families. In some families, the bride leaves her home early in the morning following the wedding. However, in some families, the bride moves to the groom’s family after sunset. Starting her new life in her husband’s house, the groom’s family warmly welcomes the bride. In the groom’s house, the bride is taken to the kitchen to show her boiling milk and rice, both of which are symbols of prosperity. Boiled milk rising and flowing out of the vessel is considered to be a good sign, indicating that everything is in abundance in the house. The groom’s mother bestows blessings and welcomes her with the aarti. The bride should step into the vessel containing milk and Alta and she should then enter the house. Welcoming the new bride to the family, the elder members shower her with blessings and gifts. The bride receives a special gift from her mother-in-law, a bangle made of iron. It is called the loha. It is customary that the bride should always wear this on her left hand. After completing these customs, the bride and groom are asked not to be together that night and are made to sleep in different rooms. According to Bengali beliefs, if the bride and groom are allowed to stay together that night, it is believed to bring bad luck to the couple. The next morning, the groom offers the bride rice, other food items and new clothes, signifying his commitment to continue providing for her in the future. The groom announces his responsibility to take care of his wife. The bride then serves ghee rice to the groom and his family. The same evening, the groom’s family hosts a party, inviting the bride’s family and friends. All the guests attend the party to meet the newly married happy couple. The Bengali wedding ceremonies come to a close with Phool Sajya. The groom’s family arranges and decorates the bedroom for the couple with flowers. By beautifully adorning the bedroom, the family members create a romantic atmosphere in the room, paving the way for an enchanting journey for the couple. Dipped in the light of customs and traditions, Indian weddings are gorgeous celebrations with deep significance. Capturing India’s rich traditional values, Bengali weddings weave beauty and tradition alike into their wedding ceremony. Turn each moment into a joyful celebration with stunning attire from Mysore Saree Udyog. MSU has a huge collection of Banarasi sarees that match varying occasions, making you look gorgeous every time you wear them. Match the vibrancy of every event with Mysore Saree Udyog's finest saree collection. 26 Bengali Wedding Rituals and Traditions: Sacred Songs and Vows
Pre-wedding Customs and Rituals in Bengali Wedding
1. Adan Pradan
2. Ashirbaad
3. Aiburo-bhaat
4. Nitbor & Nitkone
5. Shankha-Pola
6. Ganga Nimantran
Wedding Morning Rituals in Bengali Wedding
7. Dodhi Mangal
8. Nandi Mukh
9. Gaye Holud
10. Tatta
Evening Rituals in Bengali Wedding
11. Bor Boron
12. Patta Bastra
13. Subho Drishti
14. Mala Bodol
15. Sampradan
16. Yagna
17. Saptapadi
18. Kusumdinge
19. Anjali
20. Sindoor Daan
Post-Wedding Rituals in Bengali Wedding
21. Bashor Jaaga
22. Biday
23. Bodhu Baran
24. Kaal Ratri
25. Bou-Bhat
26. Phool Sajya
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