The 5 Important Rituals Of A Traditional Bangladeshi Marriage

Just like any other HIndu marriages a Bangladeshi Marriage comprises of lots of rituals, traditions and customs and a great deal of hospitality. The union of two souls to start a new life is solemnized by priests with the blessings of the elders and Gods and Goddesses standing as witnesses and showering their blessings.

A traditional Bangladeshi Marriage has many pre marriage steps to take even before entering the marriage dais or as it is famously called the 'Mandap'. It starts with the search of any links to each other through their ancestors or their descendants and only when it is assured that there is no link they go to the next step of getting engaged.

The engagement is carried out by the priest and the bride and the groom exchange rings while the groom's party shower the bride with lots of gifts and sweets. A great feast is held where the groom's party is given full honors.

This is followed by a traditional pre-wedding ritual in which the bride and the groom are separately adorned with turmeric powder. This is done on separate days to facilitate the members of both the families to get together and enjoy the function. While it is the turn of the bride to be adorned the groom's family come to the bride's place with the turmeric paste, gifts and jewelry and especially the bridal costume and do the ritual. When it is the groom's turn, the bride's party goes there and similarly does the rituals.

This is followed by adorning the bride with henna called the 'Mehende Shondo' in which there is a good number of get together of ladies from both sides and they adorn the bride's palms and feet with fabulous designs using henna. In fact, these rituals are indirect ways of helping both sides to interact and understand each other well. These are also ways to extend the best possible hospitality to each other.

On the wedding day, the bride is asked to wear the bridal costume given to her by the groom's family and adorned with jewels. The groom and his party arrive at the venue amidst grand welcome extended by blowing the conch shells and ringing the bells. But before proceeding to the dais, he is intercepted by his would be younger sister in-law(s) and their friends who demand money from the groom to allow him reach the mandap. Only when they are convinced and paid, they permit him to go ahead.

Once on the dais, the ceremonial fire is lit and the priest chants hymns and carries out certain rituals followed by the bride's father ceremonially handing over his daughter to the groom which is followed by the 'Saath Phere' or the seven rounds around the ceremonial fire. This implies the vows taken by the groom to take care of the bride for the next 7 generation of birth. The Bangladeshi Marriage is said to be complete now. This is followed by a grand feast and then the Vidayi or sending of the bride to her in-laws house.