BENGALI POST-WEDDING RITUALS

Proud of their cultural heritage, the Bengalis in India organize their wedding in a unique way and mark the culmination of the ceremony in their own impressive style. The rituals conducted post-wedding is divided into three broad phases, wherein the bride departs her maternal home and joins her groom, to settle down in the latter's home and start a new life there. 

The Bengali post-marriage ceremonies are very charming to look at. At times, they fill the spectator's eyes with tears, especially when the bride bids goodbye to her maternal home. If you want to know more about the Bengali post-wedding rituals, then go through the following lines.

Bengali Post-Wedding Customs

Bidaai
Bidaai, the highly emotional ceremony, is conducted soon after the nuptial knot is tied. As the bride steps out of her maternal home, she throws a handful of rice over her head, into her mother's aanchal. This gesture indicates that the bride has repaid all the debts to her mother and that she wishes prosperity to her maternal home, as she departs to prosper her man's life.

Basar Ghar 
After bidaai, it is the time to bid a warm welcome to the newly wed, at the groom's place. The bride enters the groom's house after dipping her feet in a thali containing alta (red color) and milk. After the feet of the bride are imprinted on the floor of the house, her sister-in-law takes her into her new house. She is then presented with the traditional red and ivory bangles, which symbolizes that by now, she is a married woman. She is also presented with a metal bangle called loha, which she should wear for the rest of her life.

Bashi Biye 
On the next morning after wedding, the groom applies vermilion on his wife�s forehead. Thereafter, the newly wed couple visits the mandap, where they worship the Sun God. The purohit is also present at this time.

Bou Baran 
Bou Baran ritual is performed to give a warm welcome to the newly wed in the groom�s house. The female members of the house pour water under the vehicle, when the couple boards it. The groom's elder brother's wife takes a plate containing lac dye and milk and places it under the bride's feet. After the bride's feet are imprinted on the floor of the house, she is lead to the house. The elders of the house shower blessings on the newly wed couple.

Bharan Poshan & Bahubhaat
The bou baran ritual is followed by a welcome meal at the groom's house, when he offers a plate containing sweets and a sari to the bride, to symbolize that hereafter; he would take care and satisfy all her needs. The bride then prepares a rice dish, the ceremony that is known as bahubhaat, in order to serve the family. This custom symbolizes that she has finally entered into the family, as one of its member.

Kaal Ratri
An interesting Bengali post-wedding ritual is the kaal ratri, which is conducted on the second night after the wedding. According to the tradition, the bride and the groom are not allowed even to look at each other, during kaal ratri.

Dira Gaman
Dira gaman is a ritual wherein the newly wed couple visits the bride's house, for the first time after the wedding. It is this time, when the thread, which was tied on the wrist of the bride by the purohit during the wedding, is formally cut. This auspicious occasion is marked by the blowing of conch shells, accompanied by ululation.

Phool Shojja and Suhaag Raat
The culmination of the wedding is marked by phool shojja and the suhaag raat. Phool shojja means the decoration of the bride and groom's bedroom with flowers.

BENGALI WEDDING RITUALS

The tying of nuptial knot in the traditional Bengali style entails an elaborate and long affair, with series of colorful and charming ituals. Since wedding is a significant occasion in one's life, the day is organized in one of the most elegant ways, which makes a Bengali wedding a very special one to look forward to. 

The rituals truly mesmerize the spectator and leave him/her with only one thought in mind - Bengali wedding is truly amazing! In this article, we have described the Bengali wedding rituals observed by the Bengali people all over India.

Bengali Wedding Customs

Welcoming The Groom 
When the marriage procession of the groom (with ringing of bells, lowing of conch shells and ululation) arrives at the doorsteps of the bride�s residence, they are greeted with fresh flowers. An elderly female relative of the bride holds the baran dala. The plate is first touched to the groom's forehead, then to the ground. Thereafter, it is touched back again to his forehead. The groom is then given sweets and sherbet. As the groom enters the bride�s house, rosewater is sprinkled on him.

Shubho Drishti Ritual 
After the groom is welcomed by the bride's family, he is brought to the mandap, where the wedding is conducted. Meanwhile, the bride is carried to the mandap in a piri, accompanied by four of her friends. When all these are done, the bride keeps her eyes hidden with a beetle leaf that she holds in her palm. 

She is then rotated seven times around the groom and then placed in front of him. Now, the bride and the groom face each other for the first time during the wedding. It is wonderful to see bride blushing, when she peeps through the beetle leaf, which she holds in her palm, to have a glimpse of her significant half. This is called the shubho drishti ritual of Bengali wedding.

Mala Badal Ceremony 
The shubho drishti ritual is followed by the mala badal ceremony, wherein the bride and the groom exchange flower garlands for three times, while the purohit chants the mantras (to conduct the wedding).

Saat Paak & Sampradhan 
As a part of Saat Paak ritual, the bride is made to sit on a low wooden stool called pidi that is lifted by her brothers. Thereafter, the paternal or maternal uncle of the bride gives her away, which is known as 'sampradhan'. Now, the groom chants the mantra along with the priest. The girl is taken around the groom in circles seven times. It signifies their union.

BENGALI PRE-WEDDING RITUALS

Bengali pre-wedding rituals are very delightful to look at. The ceremonies conducted before the marriage symbolize that they eagerly look forward to the important day in the life of the couple, who are soon going to tie the nuptial knot. Bengalis have a very charming way of pampering the bride and the groom before the wedding, and for the purpose, they have set aside certain rituals that largely include pujas and exchange of gifts. This is often followed by feasting, which can be both simple and lavish. Go through the following lines to know all about the Bengali pre-wedding rituals. Bengali Pre-Wedding Customs Adan Pradan Literally termed as give and take, the adan pradhan ritual involves the matching of ancestral lines (bangsas) of the bride and the groom, in the presence of a purohit (priest). This way, the two families ensure that the couple going to tie the wedding knot does not belong to the same gotra (lineage). Aashirwad (Patri Patra) The marriage alliance between the two families is confirmed by patri patra, a ritual that takes place a couple of days before the wedding. The purohit arrives at the residence of the bride or the groom, with an idol of Lord Narayan, to conduct patri patra. After the ritual is over, the bride's family pays a visit to the groom and blesses him in the presence of the priest. This is reciprocated by the groom's family. Vridhi Puja  Vridhi puja is conducted a day before the wedding in the remembrance of the ancestors of the bride and groom. Beautiful Rangoli is made and Lord Narayan is worshipped. According to the tradition, the vridhi puja is conducted by a paternal uncle of the bride or the groom. Tradition demands that the uncle and the bride/groom should stay on a liquid diet during the vridhi puja. Dodhi Mangal  Conducted at the dawn on the day of the wedding, Dodhi Mangal is a ceremony in which ten married women fetch water from a nearby pond in order to bathe the bride/groom. Thereafter, they serve a lavish feast to the bride/groom. The lip smacking meal consists of macher laija bhaja (fried fish), jal dhala bhaja (rice cooked in water), curd and chiruya. Wedding Piris  Piris, wooden seats painted and decorated by a relative or friend, are used to seat the bride and the groom during the wedding ceremony. The wedding piris is usually brought a day before or on the wedding day, to the bride's home. Exchange of gifts takes place between the two families. When the wedding piris is handed over, conch shells are blown, accompanied by ululation. Gae Halud Tattva  Gae halud tattva ritual takes place before the turmeric ceremony. The groom�s parents send some gifts for the bride. The gift, called the gae halud tattva, usually consists of six saris, cosmetics, fish, assorted sweets, curd, paan, dhaan and durba. A relative of the groom is chosen to deliver the gifts at the bride's residence. The relative, along with an entourage of servants bearing the gifts, are welcomed to the bride's place by blowing of conch shells. The bearers are rewarded with sweets and bakshish for their service. Adhibas Tattva  In order to reciprocate the honor shown by the groom's family, the bride's family sends the former gifts, which is called abhidas tattva. The gift usually includes a saree for the groom's mother, and fish, sweets, curd, paan, dhaan, and durba. The gifts are arranged on a brass plate, borne by the servants from the bride's house. The bearers are warmly welcomed by the groom's family. Snan  Snan is the bathing ritual that is individually followed by the bride and the groom, in late afternoon on the wedding day. During the snan ceremony, a couple of married women apply the paste of turmeric and oil on the bride/groom�s hair and body. Thereafter, the bride/groom is given a new set of clothes that is gifted by his/her in-laws. The old worn clothes of the bride/groom are given away to the napti (barber). Sankha Porana  Sankha porana is the tradition of wearing shankha porana or conch shell bangles that have been dipped in turmeric water. This tradition is followed by the bride after bathing and dressing up in a new sari. Dressing Up The Bride  Dressing up the bride is a ritual in itself, in the traditional Bengali marriage. The bride is adorned with jewelry and crown. When she is fully dressed and ready to go to the mandap, her face is adorned with a design of mukut using the chandan paste. Mandap  In the preparation of mandap, two banana trees are planted and rice paste is used to make a large alpana. The mandap is beautified with fresh flowers and flashy lights.