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Bengali weddings are well known for their representation of elaborative wedding rituals which are performed both before and after the completion of the marriage ceremony.
The customs and rituals just do not seem to end at a Bengali marriage celebration.
Every pre-wedding Bengali ritual has a unique simplicity to itself.
Ashirbaad
It means blessing. A day is chosen and the elder members from the groom’s family come to bride`s house to bless her. This is done by sprinkling of husked rice by them on their heads. Gifts in the form of gold ornaments are exchanged by both. Likewise a day is chosen by the elder members from the bride`s family and they repeat the same ceremony for the groom.
The significance of this ritual is that it symbolizes the acceptance of marriage between bride and the groom by both the families.
Away Buda Bhaat
It is a very interesting pre-wedding Bengali ritual, especially for the bride. Aai Budi Bhaat is a pre-marriage party given to her by her friends and relatives. The ritual takes place before the wedding day. The ceremony signifies the approval of the bride for this marriage and is celebrated with enthusiasm.
The cemony also encourages the feelings of traditional Bengali people. Songs are sung.
Holud Kota
This ceremony observes a gathering of five or seven married women relatives from the bride`s side. They grind the haldi and make a fine haldi power. Then they prepare the paste with some oil. This paste is applied to the face and body of the bride.
This is believed to provide the bride with glow as well as with a fairer complexion.
Dodhi Mongol
As the day of the marriage arrives, seven married women of the brdie`s family adorn the bride with Shakha (a pair of red bangles) and Paula (a pair of white bangles) which are traditional to the ritual.
The bride is then served a meal consisting of rice and curd only. This supposed to be her only meal for the day.
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