Bengali Brahmin

Traditions

The beautiful and graceful Bengali Brahmin Wedding

Bengal has always been a place where people celebrate their festivals and ceremonies with great pomp and shows. Durga Puja, the chief festival in the state, is something that entices people from all over the country visit Kolkata. The traditional wedding of a Bengali Brahmin is a similarly grand and truly majestic affair. A land which is known for its rich culture, liberal thinking, and intellectual citizens, Bengal is steeped deep in traditions and the string of rituals that make up a traditional Bengali wedding are very elaborate in nature, and provide a very distinct flavour to the wedding.

Many rituals in a Bengali Brahmin wedding are commonly seen in a traditional Hindu wedding, but there are also certain ceremonies that are unique to Bengal. The decorations and the dresses worn by the bride and groom in a traditional Bengali Brahmin wedding are also uniquely designed. Bengali women are famed for their beauty, and a Bengali Brahmin bride on her wedding day is truly a sight to behold. Covered from head to toe in exquisite jewellery, and draped in a luxurious sari, her beauty leaves you breathless.

The elegant bridal jewellery of Bengal

Jewellery is an important part of the bridal dress all over India. In every state, and in very culture, the bride is dressed in the finest clothes and adorned with all kinds of jewellery. The style and particular design of the jewellery varies from state to state, and this is true for a Bengali Brahmin wedding as well.

• Head
Her adornment starts from her head, where a Tikli is first placed between the centre partition of her hair. A tikli is a special ornament that is made from pearls, gold and precious gemstones. It borders her head, and looks like a small halo that outlines her head. Her ears are then decorated with special jewellery called Kaan, which is worn on rare occasions only. The Kaan is made from a thin sheet of gold and studded with all manners of gemstones and is used to cover the ears of the bride. A Nolak is also worn by the bride, which adorn her nose. It is also made from gold and includes a thin string of gold, which connects the Nolak to the ear.
• Neck
A necklace is commonly worn by all Indian brides, and Bengali brides are no different. Chik, a thick gold necklace, is the traditional ornament worn by the bride around her neck. Another longer necklace is worn by the bride, which is called Paanch Lahiri, or Saptha Lahiri, depending on whether it has five strands or seven. Both the necklaces are made from pure gold, and studded with diamonds and precious stones. • Arms
Bangles are the preferred arm ornament for brides in India. They can be divided into two categories; kangan, and choories. Hollow bangles made from gold and gemstones are worn on both arms. They are then surrounded by simple choories. A choorie can be made from Lakh, or from metals. When it comes to choories, there are thousands of colours, and styles that a bride can pick from. Finally a Haath Pancha is worn over the fingers by the bride to complete her attire.