The Rituals of a colorful Traditional Bengali Marriage

India is a cultural heaven. The diversity of culture in India makes me feel quite proud especially when I interact closely with its exotic rituals. I happened to me, that my friend, who has been my colleague for years, got married last year and I was invited personally. Well, I could not deny, not only because he is my friend, but also because I could not resist getting a close look at their culture. This was the time when I got the first gist of a traditional Bengali Matrimony.

Wedding in West Bengal are with long rituals and many small ceremonies. The whole wedding is a series of rituals where the two families unite, rather than the bride or the groom. These are very interesting and meaningful, with good significance to society and culture. It is a perfect amalgamation of fun, love, entertainment, respect and prejudices. A pre wedding ritual in Bengali marriage is the Vridhi Puja. It is the remembrance of the ancestors of the bride and the groom. The Gae Halud Tattva is the ritual where the Bengali brides are sent gifts from the families of the grooms.

The Snan or the bathing ceremony is where the persons to be married do bathing with turmeric, sandal power and other auspicious articles. This is followed by wearing of new clothes. The bride preferably wears the Sankha Poranas and the ornaments and clothes, which were gifted by the groom’s family. The podium where she sits is made using two banana trees and fresh flowers. A Rangoli, made of powdered rice, turmeric and so on is an integral part of Bengal matrimony. A beautiful Rangoli is made near the podium.

On the wedding day, the Groom visits the bride. A female, preferable an elderly one welcomes the groom with a ‘Baran Dala’. It is a plate, with which the forehead of the groom is first touched, and then the ground is touched with it, and again it is touched to the forehead. As the groom enters the house, he is sprinkled with rose water. This is followed by the Shubho Dristi ritual; it is when the bride and the groom see each other. The Mala Badal and the Saat Paak are the most important of all Bengali Matrimonials rituals. Here, garlands are exchanged by the bride and the groom. After the exchange, they encircle the holy fire seven times. This signifies their eternal union. It is followed by the Sampradhan ritual where families of the bride especially her uncle, give her away to the groom.

My friend boasts about his happy Marriage and how he met his wife in a Bengali matrimonial website. It makes me feel how internet and technology has become an integral part of our lives, our society and our culture. Online matchmaking is quiet an addition to traditional marriages. It has just become a traditional facet of tech savvy Indians.