Transcript Document

Mangni
The engagement or Mangni
is usually very high profile.
The girl’s side of the family
goes to the boy’s side with gifts
to confirm the engagement.
Sagai
In this ceremony, the girls family visits
The boy’s with a few grains of rice and
saffron and gifts. In return, the girl’s
family receives baskets of seven dry
fruits. This function is sealed by
exchange of rings.
Dholki or Sangeet
This function is hosted by the bride’s family where
girls play dholki and sing traditional songs.
Mehndi
The last function before wedding is mehndi, the
Mehndi sent by the mother-in-law is applied on
The hands and feet of the bride. the female
Family members also apply mehndi on their palms.
Chura
Chura ceremony is the first ritual in
the bride’s house on the wedding day. Chura is
a set of red and cream ivory bangles. People touch the
Chura and give their heartiest wishes for the bride’s
Married life after which the girls family tie silver and
Gold ornaments to the chura worn by the girl.
Haldi
In this ritual, turmeric paste and mustard
oil is applied all over the girl’s body by
female friends and relatives. This is done to
make the girl look more beautiful on the
special day of her life. After this ritual, the
bride and the groom are not allowed to meet
till the wedding.
Rut Jugga
In this ceremony, the family dancer and sing in the beautifully
decorated wedding room. They decorate copper or brass vessel called
“gagger” and fill them with mustard oil and light them. The bride or
Bridegroom’s maternal aunt carries it on her head.
Sarbala
A young nephew also dons a similar attire
Like the groom. He is called the sarbala or
Caretaker of the groom and accompanies him.
Sehrabandi
In this ritual, the groom’s sister ties the sehra on
the groom’s head. After the completion of this
ceremony, people give gifts and money to the
Groom as a token of good luck.
Ghodi Charana
In this ceremony, the groom climbs on the horse and leaves for the
Wedding venue.
Milni
Phere
This takes place in front of the
sacred fire.
Mangalsutra
Sindoor Daan
In this ritual, groom applies sindoor to the
girl’s hair partition.
The groom ties this in the
bride’s neck.
Vidaai
Vidaai is the departure of the bride
from her parents’ house.
The people of the state of West Bengal in India are called Bengalis. A
Bengali wedding includes many rituals and ceremonies that spans for
several days and are celebrated in great pomp and grandeur. In most, it
starts with an Aiburo bhat and ends with Ostomongola (returning of
newly wed daughter to her parent’s house 8 days after the marriage)
ceremony.
The following slides present a brief description of the Bengali Wedding.
Previously a bride was carried to the place of
Marriage in a palanquin.
On the marriage day:
 Dodhi Mongol: Before sunrise of the marriage day, both the bride and groom are fed
a mixture of sweets, card and khoi because they would be fasting for the rest of the day
until marriage After this, the women relatives of both families visit their nearby water
bodies, preferably Ganga( the holiest river of India) to fetch water for the rituals and to
invite Goddess Ganga to the wedding and also to be the witness of the marriage.
 Gaye Holud: There is one Turmeric Ceremony for both bride and groom. For the
bride’s gaye holud, the groom’s family- except the groom himself go in procession to the
bride’s home. They carry with them the bride’s outfit, wedding decoration including
turmeric paste that had been touched by the groom sweets and gifts along with a large
Rohu fish. After the turmeric ceremony the bride and the groom are bathed by water.
Turmeric Ceremony
(gaye holud)
 The Wedding Ceremony: It follows the gaye holud. It is arranged by the bride’s
family and the groom with his family and friends arrive late in the evening.
The wedding starts with purohits(conductors of the marriage) chanting Sanskrit
mantras along with the bride’s father. While the groom attend the ceremonies from the
beginning, the bride joins in much later all dressed up in beautiful sari and jewelleries
after she is brought by her brothers and friends seated on a wooden seat(piri). Then, the
bride and groom exchange garlands. After which the bride’s father bestows all the
responsibilities of the bride to the groom who will be her guardian from then. Finally
occurs the sindoor dan where the bride’s forehead turns red by the sindoor (a red powder)
given by the groom. It is only after then they are socially accepted as married.
These ceremonies are followed by great feast where several famous Bengali dishes are
served to the guests. After all this, the couple sits side-byside and cannot open the knot
by which they are tied together and they are entertained by many dances and songs
performed by their family members especially the younger ones.
Sindoor daan
This is the ceremony that takes place on next
Day evening when the bride leaves for the groom’s house.
Bashi Biye
On reaching the groom’s house, the couple is
welcomed by the groom’s mother and other
family members, a ritual known as “Bouboron’.
The bride is then asked to enter the house with
her feet dipped in alta and her footprints are
regarded as those of Laxmi.
Bou Bhat
Bashi Biye is followed by Bou Bhat.
In her new home, the bride serves ghee
and bhat to all her in-laws at lunch.
Reception
The evening of Bou Bhat is celebrated as a reception party where
all the distant relatives of the groom along with the close ones are
introduced to the bride. The bride’s family members also known as
“Kanyayatris” bring gifts of clothes, jewelleries, sweets and other
essentials for bride and her in-laws which is known as “tatwo”.
Phool Sojja
This is the flower bed ceremony where the bride wears
a lot of flower ornament presented by her family and
their marriage bed is decorated with flowers by the
groom’s family.
Suvo drishti
A marriage ritual
Making of pair
A bride
Exchange of garlands
Foods served in
the ceremony
• The “South Indian states” are referred to the four states of
India that lie extreme to the south of the country. These
four states are – Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and
Karnataka.
• The rituals and customs of the south Indian marriages are
quite different from that of the rest of India. But, it is to be
mentioned that most of the Indian population comprises of
Hindus and being a part of the Hindu community, the South
Indian wedding rituals are very much similar to the other
Hindu marriages.
• The Hindu wedding has a number of rituals and customs. They are
symbolic of beautiful and noble sentiments. Here is a short
description of the South Indian wedding.
• EVENING PRIOR TO THE WEDDINDG DAY
(Welcoming of bridegroom)
This day the bridegroom is to be brought in a procession from a
temple in a flower decorated car. He is escorted by the bride’s
parents. This is a social function called JANA VASAM.
The next day, the marriage starts by paying homage to Lord
Ganesh followed by a number of rituals including, exchange of
garlands between bride and bridegroom, making promises together
and taking blessings from the elders to start a new life.
The celebration continues for the whole day where the
bridegroom’s family organize a great lunch for the invitees. The
new couple also joins in and engage themselves in dancing and
singing with the other family members.
Bride and bridegroom taking
Part in the rituals.
Ushering of the bridegroom
by the bride.
Makeover of a bride
A typical South Indian
Wedding dish.
Pre wedding ritual – Engagement
In this ritual , the bride and the
groom exchange rings.
RITUALS
OF
NIKAH
Mehndi Ritual
In this ritual , mehndi is applied on
the bride’s hand and feet by a
mehndiwali, female relative of the
bride.
Haldi
During this ritual , turmeric paste
is applied on the bride’s skin with
the purpose of improving and
brightening her complexion.
Baraat
The Islamic wedding ceremony
Is also preceded by a marriage
Procession known as the
Groom’s baraat.
The actual Wedding ceremony or Nikah
The Nikah is officiated by a priest called Qazi.
Among the important participants of the Nikah
are the Walises or the fathers of the bride and
groom and their legal representatives.
Reading of Quran by the newly wed
couple
Nikaahnama
This is the marriage contract which is
signed by the couple as well as the
Walises and the Qazi.
Valima
This is the wedding Reception
hosted by the groom’s family.
Indian Christians are governed by Indian Christian Marriage Act. The legal
processes included in an Christian wedding in India are :
 The procedure begins with one of the parties giving written notice to the
Minister of Religion, stating intention to marry, full name, address band
profession of both parties, and Church in which they want to marry.
 Following this, a notice is put up in a conspicious part of the Church for at
least 4 days.
 A declaration is then made by one of the parties stating that there is no
lawful reason why the marriage cannot go ahead along with consent from
bride’s guardian.
 A certificate is issued by the Minister and marriage may be conducted.
Procedure of the wedding
1. The bride is dressed in beautiful gown and the bridegroom in
dashing suit and both of them enter the churchyard together.
2. The would – be couple seek blessings from Jesus and from the
Father and promise to be with each other by uttering the phrases,
‘Yes, I do’ and ‘Yes, I always’.
3. They exchange rings and the marriage is accomplished.
4. The newly wed couple accept each other by a kiss.
5. Then they come out of the Church followed by a long procession
and the wedding is celebrated by a grand feast which marks the end
of the occasion.
Prepared to start a new life
Exchange of rings
A bridal gown