Post Wedding Rituals in a Bengali Matrimony

The rituals that are a part of Bengali weddings are rich in tradition and quite colorful. The occasion is celebrated with pomp and loads of festivities before and after the actual day. In a Bengali matrimony, there are many important rituals that are an integral part of the community’s customs. You have both pre and post wedding ceremonies or rituals that the couple and their respective families have to take part in.

Bengali Post Wedding Rituals

Here are the important post wedding rituals that are a part of a Bengali wedding:

• Bashar Ghar: In this ritual, the groom goes to the bride’s home and spends a night there. The couple’s union is celebrated there all night long with all the family and friends joining in the festivities.

• Bashi Biye: This ritual is not practiced a lot by newlywed Bengali couples anymore. In it, the groom applies vermilion on the bride’s skin. After that, they make their way to the mandap once again and worship the sun god together.

• Bidaai: This is when the bride leaves her parental home and makes her way to the groom’s home to begin her new life. In most cases, the father and uncle of the groom escort the couple back to the home where they will begin their lives as husband and wife.

• Bou Baran: This is a ceremony that takes place when a bride enters her new home. As the newlyweds arrive at the gates of the groom’s home, the wife of the groom’s older brother holds a plate with milk and dye. The bride dips her feet into the mixture and is led by the arm by her new sister-in-law into the house. After this, the newlyweds are blessed by the elders of the family. The groom then makes his bride wear an iron bangle on her left arm while bells ring and conches are blown by the rest of the family.

• Bou Bhaat: This is a ritual that symbolizes the very first time that the new bride serves food to her husband and his family. The meal usually comprises of deliciously prepared rice and other dishes. It is then that the groom gives her a plateful of food and a saree to symbolize that he is now responsible for all her needs – shelter, food and clothing. After the Bou Baath ritual, a reception is organized by the groom’s family so that the bride can get to know all the groom’s relatives and friends.

• Phool Sajjaya: Three nights after the wedding, the nuptial bedroom is adorned with flowers and the bride and groom wear new clothes to mark this special occasion. The bride’s family sends sweets, flowers and clothes as gifts on this day.

• Diya Gaman: This is a ritual that takes place when the newly-married couple visits the parental home of the bride for the first time after tying the knot. This is when the thread tied on the bride’s wrist on her wedding day is cut. Blowing of conch shells and ululations are a part of this ritual.

As you have read, the celebrations of a Bengali wedding do not stop on the day of the marriage ceremony. The union of the couple is celebrated many days after by all their loved ones.