Let’s delve into the depth of Bengali wedding rituals through this blog on the traditional Bengali wedding!
Every Indian wedding is unique in its own way. The reason is simple – rich Indian culture is rooted in its age-old traditions. One will surely fall in love with the beauty of these traditional Indian weddings. One such uniquely rich Indian wedding is a traditional Bengali wedding.
Let’s delve into the world of the rich customs and traditions of a Bengali wedding through this blog created by our team at Wedding Affair!
Pre-Wedding Rituals
Pati Potro
Since old times, pati potro has been considered a respected agreement in Bengali weddings in which both families assemble at the bride’s home to decide the marriage date and other details. After deciding the date, the groom’s family gifts the bride with auspicious items like fish, sweets, betel leaves, and nuts (paan-supari).
Ashirbad
Ashirbad is the Bengali version of the engagement ceremony, except in this the bride and groom don’t exchange rings. Instead, both get blessed by their future in-laws with auspicious gifts and jewellery.
Ai Buro Bhaat
Considered a traditional Bengali bachelor party, in the Bengali wedding tradition of ai buro bhaat, both the bride and groom are delighted with the delicious feast featuring all their favourite dishes and sweets.
Holud Kota & Dhan Kota
During the Bengali wedding tradition of holud kota and dhan kota, married women in odd numbers(five, seven, nine) grind the turmeric paste and rice powder from scratch, known as holud kota and dhan kota respectively one day before the wedding, which is, later on, is used in the haldi ceremony.
Read Also: The Beauty of Traditional Pahadi Wedding!
Dodhi Mongol & Jol Tola
Before sunrise, both the mothers of the bride and groom feed them with curd, puffed rice and sweets before they start their fast until the wedding is over. During the same time, another group of women go to the Ganges river to collect water for the wedding baths.
Bridhhi & Nandi Mukh
At the nandi mukh ritual of a Bengali wedding, the pandit performs a puja dedicated to the seven ancestral generations of the bride and groom at their respective homes along with Lord Narayan, asking for their blessings. The previously ground haldi and rice are used in the puja. The groom is then bathed in the Ganga water after applying some turmeric. The same haldi (touched by the groom) is then taken to the bride’s house for her gaye holud.
Gaye Holud
After the bride’s family receives the groom’s turmeric paste, the women of the family apply it to the bride. After that, she is also bathed in the holy Ganga water.
Wedding Day Rituals
Dorpon to Bor Jatri
The groom’s mother hands him the dorpon (believed to cast off evil) before sending him off to the mandap. Then, she blesses him for his new journey by tying red threads and tulsi mala on his neck. Then the bor jatri or the baraat proceeds to the wedding.
Chhele Boron to Bostro Daan
In a Bengali wedding, the bride’s mother performs the chhele boron (or welcoming the groom) with sweets and water while everyone else plays the holy conch shell and does ulludhwani. The bride’s father then gives the groom bostro (new clothes) and angti (gold ring) to wear during the wedding.
Saat Paak & Shubho Drishti
When the bride is carried to the wedding mandap on a wooden seat while she covers her face with betel leaves and takes seven rounds around the groom, this traditional Bengali wedding ritual is called saat paak. After this, the bride and groom look at each other three times on shubho drishti.
Kanyadan or Sampradan
In the traditional ritual of kanyadan in Bengali weddings, the bride’s father gives her hand to the groom and ties the holy knot using their clothes and takes the promise from the groom to cherish his lovely daughter all his life.
Read Also: The Beauty of a Traditional Parsi Wedding!
A traditional Bengali wedding is a celebration of love and culture with its deeply significant wedding rituals!
