Wavering Customs and Rituals in Bengali Wedding

A comparatively simple affair, young Bengalis are adopting customs of other Indian communities in their own way. The blog post takes a quick look at the same.

Wedding rituals among Bengalis are myriad that can span for a couple of days. Though Muslims and Hindus have their own distinct rituals, there are various rituals that can be found among both the religious communities that can be seen across borders as well.

A traditional Bengali wedding is usually arranged by matchmakers known as Ghotoks who happen to be friends, relatives or even acquaintances who help settling the agreement. Divide into three parts a Bengali wedding ritual usually comprise gaye holud,the wedding ceremony and the reception. It can be said that, Bengali Hindu Wedding is comparatively a simple affair.

However, with the passage of time and in the era of ‘globalization’, interchange of culture and customs are taking place in even in a societal institution like marriage. Bengalis have pretty well incorporated various changes in the customs. Let us take a quick look at the same.

Mehndihas been extensively used in North Indian weddings. However, this has now being incorporated among Bengalis as well. The present generation Bengali youth getting married have developed a strong fascination for Mehndi and young brides as well bridesmaid are often found adorning their hands with Mehndi in a homely function.

Gradually, even the custom of Sangeet is being adopted by young Bengalis who want to add some amount of fun quotient. In these customs, usually the younger generations are seen to be participating actively where they like to enjoy themselves.

The western concept of exchanging rings has long been adopted by Indians and Bengalis are no exception to the rule. These days during the ritual of Ashirvaad, the bride and the groom also exchange rings as a sign of vow which was earlier dominated by other forms of jewelry like a pair of Bangles that has been passed onto the family from earlier generations.

An elegant affair, the new adopted customs along with the existing ones makes a modern day Bengali wedding a gala affair.

Author:

Sampurna Majumder

Marathi Wedding at a Glance

Matrimonial sites have come a long way in the somewhat rigid Indian society since their inception. Every Indian community has their individual matrimonial portals. The following blog post takes a quick look at the same.

Indian weddings are famous for their grand rituals and opulence and not to mention the ornate jewelry. However, amidst such big fat Indian wedding, Maharashtrian Wedding is perhaps the simplest and the least opulent of the lot. Unlike other communities where the rituals are performed in the evening or sometimes run through the day, most of rituals and customs in a Marathi wedding begin at early in the morning and wind during the day itself.

A traditional Marathi wedding is performed under religious observance. Since the Marathis consider Lord Ganesha to be very important, a Ganesh Puja is essentially performed in the morning. Other basic rituals include kanyadaan, phera, an exchange of garlands. Among Marathi Brahmins, a customary ritual takes place where, the bride officially changes her surname and adopts her husband’s surname. This takes place at the groom’s place after the bride has moved in to her in-laws after all the rituals have been performed.

A reception is held in the evening where all the guests are welcomed with a grand feast, who not only enjoys the dinner but also bless the newly-married couple. One interesting point to be noted here is that, it is the groom’s family and the kin are the first guests to have lunch or dinner at the reception. The rituals practiced among the Marathis at their wedding, reflect the indigenous culture of the community.

Just like any other Indian communities, traditionally arranged marriages are predominated among Marathis. However, in the present times, the prospective bride and the groom end up choosing life partners on their own. Matrimonial sites are one way out. There are several Marathi matrimonial sites in India where millions of prospective Marathi brides and grooms register their profiles in search of their life partners. In today’s Internet driven world, matrimonial sites have a very important role to play while it comes to choosing life partners.

Author:

Sampurna Majumder

Plan Your Wedding Just Like the Royals

To-be brides and grooms, why not make your special day the best day of your lifetime. Add an element of romance and uniqueness by planning destination weddings.

Indian weddings are all about celebrating with your family and friends. It’s also providing the best hospitality to guests. Weddings in the present times are no longer just rituals. The newest trends are Destination weddings. Beach weddings or royal weddings -whatever you find attractive, just go for it.

The state of Rajasthan in India is particularly known for palace weddings. Cities like Udaipur and Jaipur provides the perfect ambience.  The palaces converted into hotels are ideal to host your dream wedding. These establishments have all the amenities that go into making of a heavenly wedding. From luxurious accommodation to premium facilities, and from grand spaces to palatial terrace domes, these establishments will spoil you with choices. Experienced chefs create an array of delectable menu and friendly staff guides you to a host of recreational facilities.

You can plan your wedding by taking the wedding planner services. Give our suggestions and likings and leave the rest to the wedding planner. Whether you want a traditional wedding or a modern theme wedding, the planner arranges and coordinates efficiently. Hindu matrimonial functions include a variety of rituals and all these rituals have their own significance. Just inform the planner about the rituals and every necessary thing will be arrange on the day.

The hotels or palaces hosting the wedding event can accommodate a large number of guests, about 1000 easily. These establishments with well-manicured lawns and spectacular view of surroundings will give surely create lifelong memories.

Author:
Shipra Sinha

Experience the Real Taste of India at the Weddings

The best thing about marriages in India is food. No matter you have landed into the wedding venue of which Indian community, the spicy flavors and aroma of the food will certainly be additive. The Indian cuisine is very much influenced by the civilizations, which were prevalent in the history of our country.

The importance of spices in the Indian context is unavoidable. The Indian marriage venues are the best places for those who love to taste the real Indian culinary. The characteristic cuisines reflect the culture of the community to which bride and groom belong! In fact, the foreigner guests who visit our country is very much interested to attend at least one India wedding so that they can have a delightful and colorful experience, tasting the truly Indian traditions.

The dishes prepared mostly include the ground spices, which are termed as Masale in Hindi. The most commonly used spices in the Indian curries are ginger, garlic, coriander, pomegranate seeds, nutmeg, cardamom, turmeric, jaggery, tamarind, black salt, cloves, to name a few. These ingredients top the list of a festive menu, which not only impart a unique taste and aroma to the food, but also have medicinal values. Tandoori dishes like paneer tikka, chicken tikka, tandoori chicken, malai tikka, soya tikka, Afghani chicken and different types of breads cooked in tandoor are really mouth watery and greatly savor the taste buds.

Among the beverages, the most popular ones at the time of weddings are different types of sherbets, which are made from the essence of fruits as well as flowers. In the Indian kitchens, desserts keep a very important place. Some typical Indian dishes like Kheer, sewai, sweets, lassi, kulfi and other desserts are very popular worldwide because of their awesome flavors. So if you have not tasted the real taste of India, attend a typical Indian wedding and get indulged in the scrumptious food!

Create a Wedding Calendar This New Year

Welcome this New Year in style. You have recently married according to elaborate rituals. Indian marriage customs, whether from Hindu communities from North or South have a long list of rituals. And everyone knows, weddings in India are a grand ceremony with celebrations running even months after the couple has being married. Why not create a customized calendar with wedding photos. Print albums and digital photos are usually stored after a day or two. The best way to relive the memories of your special day in life is to create a wedding album.

How to do create a wedding calendar? It’s simple. First, select the wedding photos in sequence. Start from the pre wedding rituals to the wedding day rituals and finally post wedding rituals if any. Group the pictures. Then select 4 photos from each group which you think best reflects the wedding rituals of your community.

The second step is to find the right photo store.  If you are living a metropolitan city, every developed locality will have a photo store. Ask the person in charge of the store about such services. Most of the modern photo stores will offer the services.

Another great way is to avail such a wedding calendar online. Many online photo stores help you with such services. And the best part of such services is that they deliver at your doorstep.

This way you can surprise your partner with a customized New Year gift. If you are working, get yourself a desktop wedding calendar. Bigger poster-sized calendars look great in your bedroom.

You can also add a line or two about the rituals. This ideal is a great one if you are married in a different community. With modern day societies, getting married in other castes is not a taboo.

So do not wait and as the time left is very limited. Create a customized wedding calendar before the New Year sets in.