Marriage in all cultures is the most important ritual practiced by families that follow that religion. Marriages unite two souls in one; It is the beginning of the couple towards a new path of life, which has to pass together and happily ever after. Marriages signify the purity of the relationship shared between the couple and it is a ritual performed in every culture, religion or community regardless of whether the person is rich or poor, Hindu or Muslim, they have to get married and live their life with their partner. .

Bengal is a state famous for its literate people, Bengal tigers, sunderbans etc. It is the largest delta in the world, with a high number of populations with a rich cultural heritage. Marriages in Bengal like all others are performed in a very traditional and extravagant style. Bengali marriages or any other festival in Bengali begins with the voice of the conch shell, which is blown by the Bengali women, gathered in the function. Bengali marriages are also divided into three stages: before, during, and after the marriage ceremonies.

Pre-wedding rituals:

Ashirbaad: It is the ceremony in which the elders from the side of the bride and groom go to each other’s houses and bless the bride and groom, with their acceptance of the marriage. The bride and groom are blessed with gifts, gold ornaments, and are sprinkled with husked rice and clover on their heads.

Holud Kota – Just like the haldi or heena ceremony in Hindu marriage, the older women in the family apply turmeric paste mixed with mortar and pestle to the face, hands and feet of the bride. This is also to make the bride’s skin glow and give a natural Indian color to the bride.

Dodhi Mongal – In this ceremony, the bride is made to wear a set of red and white bangles called the shakha and paula, the traditional bangles worn by all brides at the time of their marriage. The Bengali bride is also fed curd and rice, like a shagun, at dawn on the marriage day.

Wedding rituals:

Bor Jatri: It is the journey of the groom, his relatives and friends from his house to the house of the bride or to the place of marriage.

Bor Boron: It is the welcome ceremony that the mother of the bride and her family members do, when the Bor Jatri arrives at her house. The Bengali mother of the bride performs the traditional arti to and then the groom receives sweets.

Potto Bastra – The groom is given new clothes by a family member of the bride who is supposed to do the sampradaan, during this ceremony the groom sits on the chadnatolla, the wedding canopy and altar.

Saat paak: the bride is made to sit on a pidi, a wooden stool, and the bride’s brothers carry her and take seven circles, which signify their union for seven lives.

Mala Badal: As part of this ceremony, the bride and groom exchange garlands with each other, three times, as a sign of their acceptance of the relationship.

Subho Drishti: After exchanging the garlands, the Bengali bride and groom must face the audience, thus announcing their relationship to the society in a formal manner.

Sampradan: The bride is made to sit on the chadnatolla, where an older male member of the bride’s family hands her over to the groom and then her hands are tied with a sacred thread, along which the priest recites the spiritual prayers. .

Yagna: The Bengali bride and groom sit in their respective positions in front of the holy fire called agni, the priest also takes his position to recite the prayers.

Saat Paak: In this, the bride and groom take seven circles around the fire, thus promising to be together for seven lifetimes.

Anjali: It is an offering made to the god of fire, agni, in this, the brother of the bride together with the groom offer puffed rice to the fire.

Sindoor Daan and Ghomta: The Bengali groom applies sindoor on the bride’s forehead parting, after which the bride covers her head with a new sari, which was gifted to her by the groom.

Post-wedding rituals:

Bidayi: This is the moment, when the girl leaves her maternal house and goes towards a new life in her husband’s house.

After reaching the groom’s house, some ceremonies like Kaal ratri, Bou Bhaat and Bodhu Boron are performed after which the Bengali bride and groom can live a happily married life.