Traditional Bengali Wedding
A traditional Bengali Wedding is generally arranged by matchmakers who are popularly known as Ghotoks. Once the introduction is given the Ghotoks are given special gifts and they are bid goodbye. In the Bengali wedding the first ritual performed is Ashirvaad where the elders of the family assemble and bless the bride and the groom with gifts like gold, silk clothes, husked rice and a special grass which mainly signifies wealth, prosperity and well-being. After which the bride and the groom exchange rings. This ritual is followed by gaye holud, the wedding ceremony called Bibahobashor, and the reception known as Bou-bhaat, where each one takes place on separate days.
Bride and the Groom are Given Mixture of Sweet and Curd-
As a part of pre- wedding ritual, before sunrise the bride and the groom are given mixture of sweet and curd since they would be fasting the whole day until marriage. After this the women folk of both the bride and the groom's side visit the nearby water body, mostly the Ganga river only to fetch some water as a part of custom which will be used in the wedding ritual and also they extend an invite to Goddess Ganga to the wedding, and act as a witness. The invite is accompanied by a plate of aarti complete with sweets, twigs and incense for they believe that the holy river blesses the bride and the groom. But however this ritual is slowly vanishing because of the constraints of a city life
