Post Wedding Rituals in Bengali Matrimony

The wedding customs in West Bengal include a long list of rituals which are conducted before and after the wedding. In a Bengali matrimony, there are a number of rituals involves, which include pre-engagement & engagement rituals, pre-wedding rituals that are conducted a t the respective homes of the bride and groom, wedding rituals, and post-wedding rituals. Each stage of wedding involves a customs and traditions which are generally conducted by the priest of the respective family, while considering sacred flame as the witness of the wedding. Pre-wedding rituals in a Bengali Matrimony are ashirbaad, aiburo bhaat, Gaye holud and dodhi mongol. The wedding rituals are also very elaborate. In this article, you will come to know about the post-wedding rituals in a Bengali wedding. The most common post-wedding rituals which are experienced in the wedding ceremony are: Bidaai: After the wedding, the bride bids adieu to her parents home and enters her new life. This is a very emotional moment for anyone attending the wedding. At the time of leaving her house, the bride throws handful of rice on her way out. Bidai is a moment which is a mix of emotions, where she has tears in the eyes and happiness in her heart. The rituals conducted at the time of Bidai signify that the bride has repaid all debts which she owed to her parents. Basar Ghar: The bride is welcomed in the groom’s home, where she dips her feet in a thali which contains Alta (a red colouring agent) and milk and gives her footprint on the surface of the house. The groom’s mother gifts the bride with an iron bangle, which defines her marital status, and she is supposed to wear that bangle for the rest of her life. Bashi Biye: After the wedding is solemnized, the groom reapplies vermilion on the bride’s forehead in the morning the very next day. The husband and wife then visit the temple where they worship sun god in presence of a priest. Bou Baran: The Bou Baran ritual is all about welcoming the newlyweds in the groom’s house, where they are showered with blessings from older family members. Bharan Poushan and Bahubhaat: The groom presents a plate having sweets and sari to his bride, and states that he will take care of all her basic needs. The bride then cooks rice and serves it to the family, which signifies that she is now the part of groom’s family. Kaal Ratri: The Kaal Ratri ritual is the second night of the marriage, where the bride and groom are not supposed to look at each other. Dira Gaman: This is the time when the bride visits her parent’s home after the marriage. The occasion is marked by blowing of conch shells by the female members of the family. The elders of the bride’s family cut off a thread, which is tied to the bride’s wrist during the wedding rituals. Phool Shojja: This involves the decorating the groom’s bedroom with flowers and the Bengali matrimony solemnizes.