Indian weddings are a beautiful, soulful yet tedious affair, filled with ancient traditions and rituals which claim to bond the husband and wife for the next 7 lives.
But then, while some of these traditions are beautiful and meaningful, some of the others are dated.
A Bengali wedding is a beautiful affair. Despite its simplicity, it comes across as sheer poetry, than to the traditions and customs attached to it.
Bengali matrimony is marked by various traditions, rituals as well as superstitions, which make it a class apart in comparison to other weddings around India. A Bengali wedding is an elaborate affair, marked by a number of rituals.
Let us now throw light on all these rituals, without which any Bengali wedding seems incomplete. As strange as it sounds, in Bengali weddings, the bride’s mother is not allowed to see the wedding.
It is believed that the mother witnessing the wedding will bring harm on her daughter or the mother possesses the evil eye to harm her daughter’s marriage.
When the bor jatri reaches the bride’s place, usually the mother of the bride along with other members come out to welcome the groom and his family by showing the holy earthen lamp, sprinkling trefoil, and husked rice placed on a bamboo winnow (kula). Then they are served sweets and drinks.
When the ceremony commences, the bride encircles the groom sitting on a small wooden piri, carried by her brothers. Her face is covered with betel leaves. On reaching her new house, the bride cooks a scrumptious meal for the groom and his relatives. This is followed by a lavish reception for all guests.
