Everything you need to know about Bengali Wedding Rituals

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India is a land of various cultures and customs traditions. When it comes to marriages in India, every state has a different culture and tradition associated with it. Traditional Bengali Weddings are a vibrant affair and a perfect amalgamation of rituals that come in colours and liveliness. Whether you’re getting married in a traditional Bengali style or will be attending one, it will be great to understand the Bengali wedding rituals and their importance. There are a lot of authentic and unique rituals in a Bengali wedding that you must know. Here, we have mentioned Bengali wedding rituals that you can expect the next time you visit Biye Bari. 

Bengali Wedding Rituals 

Source: Sourodip Ghosh Photography, Shashank Issar

Read on to discover and decode the unique ceremonies and customs of Bengali weddings. 

Pre-Wedding Rituals:

 1. Pati Potro 

Pati or Shital Pati is a fancy decorative mat. This plays a significant role as both the families gather around and sit on the mat to decide on the wedding date. The families assemble at the bride’s home in order to decide the date. After fixing the date, the groom’s family gives gifts and auspicious items to the bride. It may include items such as betel leaves, betel nuts, or sweets. In olden times, the elders of the family members used to write the details of the marriage using sindoor and haldi. A coin was used to write all the relevant details such as name, date, timings, and even the details of Adan Prodan or dowry. 

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2. Ashirbad  

Source: Surjayan Mukherjee Photography

Once the wedding date has been finalized, the next ceremony that happens is Ashirbad. Many people consider this ceremony equivalent to an Engagement ceremony. However, the only difference is that the bride and groom don’t exchange rings in this ceremony. It is rather the families that visit each other’s home and bless the bride and groom with gifts. The future in-laws certainly bless the couple with gold jewellery, sweets, and clothes. Along with these precious items, items such as fish, curd, betel nut, and betel leaves are given. These are a part of the Bengali wedding rituals and customs. 

 3. Ai Buro Bhaat 

This is another significant tradition in a Bengali wedding. It is the ceremony where the bride and groom enjoy their last bachelorette meal. It is usually the mothers who cook Bengali dishes at home and feed the bride/ groom. 

4. Holud Kota and Dhan Kota 

Source: Sohini Saha

It is performed one day before the wedding and can be understood as the Haldi ceremony. Married women of the family usually prepare Haldi for this ceremony using raw turmeric. The number of married women involved in this task is usually odd. It can be either three, five, seven, or more, depending on the family members. The same group of married women also grind rice powder, which is known as Dhan Kota. During the whole process, the married women keep betel nuts and betel leaves in their mouths. It is done to ensure that no spit or anything goes in the prepared mixture. 

5. Ganga Nemontron & Kola Gach Nemontron

On the same evening after preparing Holud Kota, the women of the family proceed to invite the Ganges, followed by inviting the Banana tree to the wedding. The women of the family usually carry sindoor, nuts, betel leaves, and bananas while performing this tradition. They also take along unbloomed plantain leaf from the Banana tree and tie it to the dorpon. 

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6. Dodhi Mongol & Jol Tola

This is a ceremony that is performed before sunrise. Since the bride and groom will have to fast until the wedding rituals are completed. So, the mothers usually feed them curd, rice, and sweets before sunrise. Besides this, the women of the family visit the Ganges to collect water, which is used for bathing purposes. 

7. Bridhhi & Nandi Mukh

It is the ceremony where the Pandit Ji performs a small puja at home to seek blessings from the seven ancestral generations. The puja happens at both the bride’s and the groom’s house. After this, Haldi is applied to the groom and he takes bath in the Ganga water. The Groom has to touch the Haldi and it is then sent to the bride’s house. 

8. Gaye Holud 

Source: Canvera

The bride’s family receives the Haldi from the groom’s house. Along with this, the groom’s family sends a Wedding Tattoo which consists of sweets, fish, paan-supari, and clothes.

The Wedding Day Rituals 

1. Dorpon to Bor Jatri 

Source: Telegraph India

The groom’s mother gives Dorpon to the groom to keep all the evils away. After this, the Bor Jatri or the baraat proceeds to the wedding venue. However, the mother of the groom waits until the bride reaches. 

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2. Chhele Boron to Bostro Daan 

Source: Weddings Pictures

Boron in Bengali refers to welcoming where the mother welcomes the groom with sweets. Everyone plays the shell while the father of the bride gives the gold ring and clothes to the groom. 

3. Saat Paak & Shubho Drishti

Source: Laughing Colours

Saat Paak happens when the bride arrives at the mandap. The bride has to cover her face with two betel leaves and the bride’s brother brings her to the wedding mandap. They also take seven rounds around the groom. After this, the bride and groom look at each other thrice and the jaimala ceremony or Mala Bodol ceremony happens. 

4. Kanyadan or Sampradan

The bride’s father gives her hand to the groom and performs the Kanyadan rituals. After it is done, the bride sits on the left side of the groom. 

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Bashi Biye Rituals 

1. Wedding Games 

Some families consider playing wedding games at the mandap while some consider visiting the bride’s house to play the games. 

2. Yagnya, Sindoor Daan & Surja Pranam

Source: The Lens Guy

Yagnya is when the Pandit Ji chants mantra and the groom applies vermillion on the bride’s hair using a ring. 

3. Khoi Fela & Saptapadi 

Source: The Wedding Vow

This is the last step and the couple takes saat phere around the Yagnya fire. 

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Post-Wedding Rituals 

Source: Bombay Paparazzi

1. Bodhu Boron  

It is the tradition when the bride visits the groom’s family for the first time after marriage. The groom’s mother welcomes the bride with Aarti, flowers, and sweets. The bride steps on red aalta and milk solutions while entering the house. She also breaks clay diyas with her heels. 

 2. Ashirbad & Kaal Ratri

The bride and groom take ashirbad from the groom’s family and everyone blesses them with gifts and sweets. After this, Kaal Ratri happens where both of them will have to separate for a night. 

 3. Ashtamangala

Source: Two Hearts

After eight days of the wedding, the couple visits the bride’s family. They stay with them for a day or two. After that, the knot is undone which was tied at beginning of the wedding ceremonies. 

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These are some of the traditions and customs of the Bengali wedding rituals. You should keep these rituals in mind if you are having or attending a traditional Bengali wedding. If you need any further assistance with wedding shopping or picking your dream bridal outfit, you can get in touch with our experts. Our Styl Consultants will help you pick the dream outfit of your choice and will also answer all your queries. Book the inquiry form and get in touch with us for further assistance. Let the Styl experts guide you and help you with your wedding shopping woes.

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Deepali