Bengali Wedding Traditions

Bengalis are the sweetest people on earth. They love to celebrate any occasion elaborately and they never seem to be in hurry. Bengali Wedding traditions involve many pre- ritual occasion and post ritual occasion which makes their marriage ceremony last almost for a week. The love to cherish every moment and makes every moment unique.

Some pre marriage traditions of Bengali weddings are as follows

Ashirwad (Engagement)

This marks the confirmation of the marriage. It is conducted a couple of days before the marriage at the bride or groom's residence. The purohit (priest) brings an idol of Lord Narayan and the couple is offers their prayers.

The bride/groom must touch the feet of the elders at the end of the ceremony to take their blessings (ashirwad). The bride is presented with a sari, a ring and other ornaments.

Turmeric and oil is applied at the bride and groom's body by the elders of the family. After bathing, the bride and groom should wear a new set of clothes that have been presented to them by their in-laws. The worn clothes are later given away to a napti (barber). The bride must wear conch shells bangles dipped in turmeric water immediately after her bath.

Dressing up the bride is a ritual in itself. The bride adorns herself in all her bridal finery. She is covered with a veil and flaunts a mukut. The bride ge6ts decked up applying sandalwood paste design on her face.

The bride must sit with the gaach kouto and kaajal laata for the ceremonies that follow. The mandap or the place of the wedding is organized by bride's family. Two banana trees are planted at the mandap and a large alpana (design) is made with rice paste. The mandap is decorated for the wedding with flowers and lights.

The groom and his family members and friends appear at the bride's house to the ringing of bells, blowing of conch shells and ululation. The baran dala is generally held by the mother of the bride or any elder female relative of the bride's and the plate is first touched to the groom's forehead, then to ground, and back again to his forehead in a gesture of part blessing, part-reverence. Both, the mother of the bride and of the groom do not grace this ceremony with their presence. It is believed that this will protect the couple from the 'evil eye'.

The priest conducts the marriage ceremony and a male member of the bride's family is required to give away the bride to the groom. This particular occasion is called sampradhan. The priest chants mantras and the bride and the groom exchange garlands. The groom adorns the forehead of his bride with vermilion and the wedding ceremony is concluded.

Whole night of the wedding day songs, dance and music follow. The next morning the girl departs from her parental house and arrives at her in- laws place. That particular evening the bride and the groom are separated and do not see each other as they consider this to be a bad omen. The next day the reception ceremony is held at the groom's place where both the family members come and dine. The last of the wedding ceremonies is phool sajja this occasion sees the bride in a new sari and the groom in a new dhoti and kurta. Their nuptial bedroom is beautifully adorned with flowers.

Travour.com describes and provides information on the wedding traditions of Bengali and around the world.

Here are some Wedding Traditions performed around the world