3 Things To Watch in A Bangladeshi Marriage

If you want to experience the most memorable event of your life, choose to attend any Bangladeshi wedding ceremony. I personally consider the opportunities I got to attend a few Bangladeshi marriage ceremonies as the most enchanting episode to write in my memoirs. The social importance of marriage in Bangladesh is well attested by the extravaganza and pomp on show associated with this sacred event. A big fat Bangladeshi wedding is characterized by glittering decoration and amusing and adorable rituals. While men and women wearing the ethnic dresses maintain the cultural legacy of the country, the world famous Bengali food adorned in contemporary trends tempts every heart.

Bangladeshi Marriage Customs

Wedding rituals are the most interesting things to watch in a Bangladeshi marriage. I have attended several marriage ceremonies, but prefer to rank the grandeur, scale, and customary rituals of Bangladeshi marriage ceremonies higher than all others. Whether it is a Hindu marriage or Muslim marriage, all kinds of nuptial ceremonies are complete with extravaganza. The amusing prenuptial ceremonies, Panchini or engagement, Gaye Halud or turmeric ceremony, Dodhi Mangal, showcase the great Bengali heritage. Shah Nazar or eye contact ritual during Muslim marriage is an important ceremony to watch.

The Hindu marriage in Bangladesh also has several interesting and enjoyable ceremonies during the marriage day. A normal Bangladeshi wedding spreads over three to seven days full of fun, frolic, and feasts. The changing venues and versatile nature of the ceremonies keep everyone engaging. You can sing, dance, and enjoy in groups.

Bangladeshi Marriage Food

For any foreign guest, the variety of food and sweets served during a Bangladeshi marriage is the biggest attraction. Bengali food is world famous, and you can enjoy the best of it at Bangladeshi marriage ceremonies. It includes sumptuous vegetarian and nonvegetarian cuisines, though the letter has preponderance. Some most famous Bangladeshi marriage food I have tested are spicy mutton curry called Korma Rezala, fish, lobster, king prawn, and chicken curry. You can have both spicy and roasted nonvegetarian items that delight the tastes of anyone.  Zorda is a kind of sweetened yogurt is another must-eat item at any marriage in Bangladesh. Though the food has changed and a lot of international cuisines are now part of the feast, the ethnic variety dominates and continues to be popular.

Bangladeshi Wedding Fashion

You will found several articles on Bangladeshi matrimonial websites devoted to wedding fashion and contemporary trends. Right from the bridal dress and fashion accessories used in decorations to the marriage dress and jewelry of the ethnic people, everything denotes the exotic Bangladeshi wedding fashion in a big way. The dress and makeup of the bride lead the Bangladeshi marriage fashion statement. The saris and lehengas are usually heavily embroidered with beautiful traditional motifs adorning them. Many nowadays went for decorations using pearls, stones, gold, and silver linings. Ethnic flavors dominate the guest dress code. You can see women wearing famous saris made in the country, such as Jamdani, Benarosi, Rajshahi silk, and Tangail. Though the color and design have become more contemporary in nature, the aura of these saris continues to attract the eyes. The new fashion vista resulted due to the cultural synthesis over the years are also distinctly visible in the planning and décor of any Bangladeshi wedding.

 

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Wedding Arrangements Made Easy With Right Wedding Response Card

Knowing the importance of marriage in one’s life, every one wishes that their wedding arrangements are properly done to ensure that the D-day passes without any obstacles. However, people often forget to pay attention to small details when making wedding preparations, and it is this mistake that can cost the wedding organizers a lot, sometimes even resulting in worst consequences and spoiling the fun in the wedding. Hence, it is vital to check that all the arrangements are made well in advance so that nothing is being missed out and all the things are well taken care of to make the marriage ceremony truly memorable for the hosts as well as the guests.

One vital thing that should feature in the ‘must-do’ list at the time of making preparations is drawing an estimate of the total number of people who intend to be a part of the wedding celebrations. Sending out wedding response cards was more commonly found in American or European weddings earlier. However, this practice is fast catching up in other cultures such as Indian marriages, Hindu marriages and Muslim marriages. Today, wedding response cards are becoming popular in Bangladeshi weddings.

Coming to wedding response cards, a particular wedding that I recall is the Bangladeshi marriage ceremony of my friend- Gulzar Ahmad. He was marrying a girl whom her parents found through one of the popular Bangladeshi marriage websites. His being an arranged marriage, Gulzar wanted to make sure that all the arrangements and ceremonies are held keeping with the customs and traditions of both the bridal and groom’s side. The first thing he wanted to do is to assess the number of people who were going to attend his wedding reception. Without having an idea of the invitees and the actual number of guests on the marriage ceremony, Gulzar could not take up other marriage arrangements. To know the clear head count, he thought of adding wedding response cards to his wedding invitation cards.

Sending out wedding response cards was indeed a clever idea by Gulzar as he could then get a confirmation from the guests if they were attending his invitation. Response from the guests would help him make other arrangements pertaining to food, accommodation and thanks gifts accordingly. Moreover, wedding response cards can make the invitation card stand out. After making the decision to send wedding response cards, the next big task was to choose the right kind of card and use proper message and the right tone to get the response back on time from guests.

Gulzar did not face much of a problem while choosing the right wedding response card. He preferred to order cards online rather than visiting local stores and stationery shops. While selecting response card, he customized the color and the theme and clearly stated the actual wording that would go into the card. He browsed several Bangladeshi matrimonial websites for getting the right content

It is not only Gulzar’s wedding but in other Bangladeshi marriages as well that the practice of sending out wedding response card is gaining prominence. It is one of the most creative ways of getting confirmation from the guests about their attendance in the wedding ceremony. This certainly helps in making arrangements well in advance.

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Different Facets of Online Bangladeshi Matrimonial Services

The growing importance and number of websites offering Bangladeshi matrimonial services in the past couple of years come as a big surprise for many. The convenience and freedom associated with the online matchmaking make thousand of youngsters to seek their soul mates on the Internet. While many prefer online Bangladeshi matrimonial services to find out modern, technology-savvy, and open-minded life partners, several people I have seen are just attracted by the romantic odyssey that such matchmaking offer. Non-residents use these websites to seek a perfect match from the country for their children without having to visit various cities. Divorcees and widows, who usually suffer due to the rigid social system, can also browse suitable Bangladeshi matrimonial profiles online to start their life afresh.

However, just making a match online is not the only service provided by with the Bangladeshi matrimonial services. You can get a lot of information about the importance of marriage in Bangladesh, wedding planners, venues, marriage ceremonies, tips to make online matrimonial profiles, and latest fashion and decorative trends in Bangladeshi matrimonial services on these websites.

Online Matchmaking Services

The core business of Bangladeshi matrimonial services online is matchmaking. They don the role of traditional ghotokos who visit villages with proposals in hand. Now these sites make the matches happen on the Internet. You can join them for free or paying a fee and post your profile there. You can browse hundreds of Bangladeshi matrimonial profiles online and contact the shortlisted prospective bride and grooms.

Help To Make Online Profile

The online Bangladeshi matrimonial services provide free tips and paid profile making services. Paid services make your profile tangible and attractive and put it in the most favored category, where it will catch attention of match seekers. You can also go through profile making tips online and make an ideal profile.

Social Forum for Marriages

These websites also act as social forums for Bangladeshi marriages and provide matchmaking guidance. They sent you monthly newsletters informing you about new members and advice on effective matchmaking. You can post comments and seek opinion of members on vital issues related to marriages. Through online discussion facilitated by Bangladeshi matrimonial services, you can learn about traditions, customs, venues, and rituals related to Bangladeshi marriage.

Matchmaking Guidance

Online Bangladeshi matrimonial services offer resource guides to help people in matchmaking. Apart from the information about Bangladeshi matrimonial profiles online, these websites also guide on how to select prospective brides and grooms. They offer free communication and facilitation services to help people chat with each other before finalizing their choice.

Marriage Information

You can also find a lot of information about latest Bangladeshi marriage fashion trends, venues, honeymoon destinations, food and decoration styles. The forums and blogs on these websites provide details about the contemporary bridal wear, jewelry, marriage dresses, wedding card design, and entertainment programs on the occasion.  You can also know about important venues in cities, such as Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Cox Bazar, and Sylhet. You can know about five-star hotels offering marriage venues and catering services in those cities.

Wedding Planers

For people looking to have big fat Bangladeshi weddings, many websites offering Bangladeshi matrimonial services advise on and provide wedding planners. It is also immensely helpful for nonresident Bangladeshis living in foreign countries but willing to enjoy the charm of an authentic ethnic Bangladeshi marriage.

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Grooms Dressing Up For The Occasion Perfectly

Gone are the days when much emphasis was being laid only on the bridal wear and men would not pay much importance to their attire for the wedding day. Today, groom also wants to look his perfect self on his wedding day. It is not women alone who understand the importance of marriage and wedding preparations but men too happen to give a lot of time for getting all the arrangements right.

Dressing up perfectly for the special occasion is a common trend followed by most grooms across different cultures, be it an Indian marriage, American wedding, Hindu marriage, European wedding, Muslim marriage or a Bangladeshi marriage.   Although it is true that the bridal attire still gets most of the attention in a wedding but even men today do not want to leave any stone unturned to coordinate their look with the bride and the wedding theme. One special wedding memory that I can recall related to wedding dress for groom is the marriage of my Bangladeshi friend- Fayaz Sheikh.

Fayaz was tying the knot with Sanjeeda Ali- a pretty girl that his parents had found for him by searching the popular Bangladeshi matrimonial websites. The increasing importance attached to finding soul mate with the help of the Internet has led to the recent spurt in the number of Bangladeshi marriage websites in the present day world. Coming back to Fayaz’s wedding, he was very particular about getting the right wedding attire for the D-day. He wanted an elegantly designed sherwani and for that he spent several days scouting for the right outfit that flaunted intricate and brilliant workmanship.

After much browsing and scouting local shops, Fayaz decided to check out the designer stores to get the right blend of sherwani with modern cuts and designs combined with some traditional prints. Finally after several days of search, he selected a sherwani that was beautifully decorated with zari, kasab zardosi work and dabka. It had hand embroidery done with mandarin collar that accentuated his personality on the wedding day and was well-suited for his arranged marriage. The mix of hand and machine embroidery added a touch of elegance to his appearance.

Fayaz also made sure that he gets the right accessories to go well with his wedding attire. Use of right accessories such as a cravet and a broach added individualism and gave a distinctive class to his style. Individualized accessories such as gold-plated watch, matching footwear and kantha makes the groom look the best on his D-day. He got instant recognition for his wedding attire and looked fabulous on his wedding day. The bride also looked gorgeous with her painstakingly selected bridal jewelry and attire. Together they made one of the most beautiful and stylish couple and many people circulated their pictures on Facebook and other networking sites. Needless to say, they are still getting much acclaimed publicity and attention from their friends and known ones.

With some thought and time being put for selecting the right wedding attire, grooms in Bangladeshi weddings can match their style with their brides and steal the show.

 

 

 

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7 Tips for Successful Bangladeshi online matchmaking

Bangladeshi online matchmaking is gaining wide popularity thanks to the large percentage of young population in the country. The underlying romantic odyssey and freedom to choose one’s own soul mate have led many to give preference to Bangladeshi matrimonial services online over traditional ghotokos despite reservation from the conservative elements in the society. However, lack of guidance and expertise to make suitable Bangladeshi matrimonial profiles online coupled with failure to have the right information in the right place impact the level of success in getting the perfect match. The following are some of the important suggestions intended to help you find the suitable Bangladeshi matchmaking online.

  • The first and the foremost thing is to choose the right Bangladeshi matrimonial services online. One can post his or her profile on one or more than one websites. But make it sure that the website offering Bangladeshi matrimonial services and you are joining should have credence before the netizens and reach to all Bangladeshis living in the country and abroad. It will help you with the widest possible profile search option.
  • An ideal profile is the most important requirement. Every Bangladeshi matrimonial profile online must take care of the customary social practices to gain trust of those looking for prospective brides or grooms. Ensure that your profile has all necessary information about yourself, family, caste, place of residence, and education.
  • Job and personal details must be part of your profile. Anyone looking for Bangladeshi marriage online wants to see that the prospective bride or groom is well-settled or have good income. Again the personal requirements play a vital role to select or reject any profile.
  • Communication is another important factor in having a successful Bangladeshi online matchmaking. As per the social trends of the society, it is always the elders who initiate the talks. You need to be candid, formal, and responsive in initial contacts. If you are not interested, then you should be polite in rejecting their offer. Also have the initial contact through the e-mail and chat services provided by the Bangladeshi matrimonial services online.
  • Ensure that your profile and photo meant for Bangladeshi online matchmaking must be charming, appealing, and conform to the social norms of the country. Your profile must not include improper language. The photo should be in formal attire and look composed rather than trendy. The profile should be respectful toward family and social values.
  • Before choosing any Bangladeshi matrimonial profile online give due attention to the likes and dislikes mentioned therein. It makes your compatibility with the profile holder clear and help you shortlist the most preferred ones. Check for specific words, such as modern, liberal, and career-oriented, as these requirements define the personal and professional choice of an individual to a great extent.
  • For widows or single parents looking for Bangladeshi marriage online, their profile must have all the required information. It is advisable that they do not hide anything that may sabotage their communication at an advanced stage. They clearly mention their age, income, education, personal likings, and children in detail.
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Get A Stunning Look With The Perfect Bridal dress

For a girl, there is no bigger occasion in life than her marriage. Importance of marriage and all things related to marriage preparations cannot be overlooked in a girl’s life. Every woman wants to look her best and wear the finest and most exquisite bridal dress on her special day. This holds true for all kinds of weddings across different cultures, be it an Indian marriage, Pakistani wedding, Hindu marriage, European wedding or a Muslim marriage. Brides in Bangladesh too love to adorn themselves with the prettiest wedding dress. I would like to share with you some interesting observations about bridal dresses in Bangladeshi marriages. I attended the wedding of one of my relatives- Naseeera Hussain few days back.

Naseera was getting married to Alam Khan-a guy whom her parents found for her through one of the reputed Bangladeshi matrimonial websites. Being an arranged marriage, Naseera made a special effort to choose a bridal dress that would also be liked by her in-laws. She wanted a blend of modern designs with some traditional zardosi work on her bridal lehenga. There are unlimited options present for Bangladeshi brides when it comes to bridal dress. Wide range of elaborately-designed dresses for brides flood the Bangladeshi textile market and to choose the most appropriate dress for the D-day can sometimes become a difficult task for a Bangladeshi bride. It was a tough thing even for Naseera and she decided to look for her bridal dress both online as well as in local stores.

Naseera went shopping for several days to look for the perfect bridal dress that would accentuate her look on the most special day of her lifetime. She also searched the Internet and browsed through websites of some of the famous fashion designer houses and Bangladeshi marriage websites to look for the perfect wedding dress. After a thorough search on the Internet, she finally selected a bright red Benrasi silk saree for her wedding reception. Red and green are the favorite colors of Bangladeshi brides, although some Bangladeshi brides have also begun experimenting with new, trendy colors. However, Naseera choose Benrasi silk complete with embroidery done in shades of golden and silver, a rich brocade and zari border to look stunning and elegant on her wedding day.

Naseera brought her bridal dress a few months prior to her wedding so that she could alter it and make changes in the fittings much before the D-day. She also bought kundan jadau jewelry matching her bridal dress and ensured that other jewellery pieces such as necklace, bangles, nose rings, armlets, anklets, panjas and toe-rings were all in colors matching to the bridal saree. Naseera also tried the bridal wear once to see whether she is comfortable in it. The bridal dress only added to her beauty and made her look more gorgeous on her most special day. Almost everyone who attended her wedding appreciated her aesthetic wedding dress and the way she carried herself on the most auspicious day of her life!

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Choosing the Right Bangladeshi Matrimonial Portal

Ever since the emergence of online matchmaking, a debate has been raging on its efficacy and dependability as an effective means to replace the traditional matchmaking. In a conservative society, such as Bangladesh, matrimonial services are often decried bogus, insane, and money-minded by people with traditional bent of mind. However, the popularity of online Bangladeshi matrimonial services has created a positive image of it and aided the growth of a large number of such websites. It is up to the customers to select the best ones for successful matchmaking.

Features of a Good Bangladeshi Matrimonial Portal
An ideal profile and a good online matchmaking portal complement each other. Without one, the other is meaningless. It is the foremost requirement for online matchmaking that the website you are using must be reliable. The following are the key features of a good and reliable website offering Bangladeshi matrimonial services online.
• The reach is the foremost indicator of good Bangladeshi matrimonial services. The more popular the online portal, the more is its reach among the people. It will attract prospective brides and grooms to post their profiles expecting wider viewership. Large number of members will give you more options to choose from and select your soul mate.
• The ranking of online Bangladeshi matrimonial services is another major factor that influences your matchmaking. The websites with higher ranking are better placed to attract attention of people looking for Bangladeshi marriages. Similarly, these sites get more members and remain popular with the people. Those with lower ranking seldom get proper attention by match seekers.
• The page look and design should also be considered while joining any of the Bangladeshi matrimonial services online. A good layout with proper headings is sure to present Bangladeshi matrimonial profiles online in an attractive way. Check the profile page and ensure that there is adequate place to post details about your residence, job, caste, and other personal information. Make sure that you give exact and precise account of your choice of life partner in appropriate columns.
• Most of the Bangladeshi matrimonial services online offer paid services. You can post your profile free of cost; however, you are required to become paid members if you want to get the contact details of member profiles you have shortlisted. Many Bangladeshi matrimonial websites offer paid services for profile making, priority search visible, preferential placement, and suggestions to other members. Ensure that you need not have to pay too much where you can manage your profile, contacts, and search optimization on your own.
• The communication services provided by Bangladeshi matrimonial services online must be examined before subscribing. At the initial stage, it is better to use chat and mail services to communicate rather than doing the same over phone. Many Bangladeshi matrimonial websites offer instant messaging and chat services for a fee. Check out for this feature while registering.
• If you find social forum postings and Bangladeshi marriage tips on any website, it can be a bonus. Many wedding planners, people seeking matches online, and amateurs share their views on marriage trends, contemporary fashion, venues, bridal makeup, traditional rituals, and online matrimonial profile making through blogs attached to these sites. It can be of immense help for both natives and nonresidents looking for a big fat Bangladeshi marriage.
No doubt there are many Bangladeshi matrimonial websites that fail to live up to the expectations of people seeking prospective brides or grooms. In many instances, subscribers do not have an effective profile that again fails to attract enough attention. You can multiply your matchmaking chances with selection of reliable Bangladeshi matrimonial services online with the above-mentioned features.

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Tips on Pleasing Your Guests With Well-Chosen Wedding Invitations

Wedding is the most auspicious and most celebrated of all occasions in one’s life. Importance of marriage cannot be undermined in any culture, be it a Hindu marriage, Christian wedding, American marriage or a Muslim marriage. Wedding organizers have to make several small preparations well in advance to ensure that guests attending the cermeony never face any problem. The same holds true even for Bangladeshi marriages, where people are required to pay attention to every small detail, including wedding cake, wedding car and wedding invitation. Coming to wedding invitations, a marriage ceremony that particularly comes to my mind is the wedding of my Bangladeshi friend-Shehnaz, who was marrying a guy whom her parents found through one of the famous Bangladeshi matrimonial websites.

Shehnaz spent a lot of time looking for the right wedding invitation as she knew that it is the first thing that guests see in a wedding. Choosing a proper wedding invitation sets the right mood of a marriage ceremony.  She was very particular about choosing a wedding invitation that would go well with the theme of her marriage. As she opted for an arranged marriage, she thought it best to stick to traditional things for her marriage. When choosing the wedding card, Shehnaz also thought it best to choose the card that contains more traditional designs and conventional marriage symbols.

To choose the right conventional designs for her marriage invitation card, Shehnaz went online and browsed through several websites that featured different varieties of wedding invitation cards. Various Bangladeshi card designers have their own personal websites where they display the card collections and designs they use for wedding cards. Some of the Bangladeshi marriage websites also contains names of certain local wedding card sellers and stores. After a thorough search on the Internet, Shehnaz selected a wedding card seller from where she could design her own wedding invitation.  She especially conveyed it to the seller that she would want some of her ideas to be used in the wedding invitation. The seller also agreed to provide a customized wedding card with designs that she wanted.

The bridal party was also wise enough to order printing of the wedding invitation supplies 3 months prior to the wedding date. When placing an order, the wedding party hosts also thought it wise to give an order for 10 extra invitations for last-minute additions to the guest list and keepsakes. When choosing a wedding invitation, Shehnaz also kept in mind the price and quality of the paper material to be used for the cards. Important information regarding the marriage venue, date of marriage, time and other things were given out to the wedding invitation card designer before getting them printed. Shehnaz also made sure that proper words are used in the wedding invitation to make the card more appealing. I still retain her wedding card in my closet and proudly share with those friends, who look for equally impressive wedding invitation cards. In fact, one of my friends borrowed it from me and got the similar wedding invitation card printed last week. 🙂

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Bangladeshi Hindu Marriage: Finding Right Soul Mate Online

Online Bangladeshi matrimonial services are quite famous among both the Hindus and Muslims living in the country. For the minority Hindus, it is good option to seek a just match for their children both in the country and outside. Once I have met a beautiful couple Soumi and Siddharth during a trip to famous temple city of Puri in Orissa. The couple were newly married and on their honeymoon trip. We were staying in the same hotel and had rooms next to each other. A week’s time was enough to learn about each other. Soumi was from Bangladesh. Her father had an electronic shop in Chittagong. Her husband Siddharth was from Kolkata in India. They met thanks to the ever growing popularity of Bangladeshi matrimonial services online. Siddharth’s father stumbled on Soumi’s profile while browsing through Bengali matrimonial websites. Her charm and profile information attracted him and he contacted her parents in Chittagong to seek her for his only son.

Online Matrimonial Services Offer Wider Options

After a week of friendship with the couple, I came to know how the Hindu families staying in different parts of Bangladesh view online websites offering matrimonial services a great way to facilitate marriage of their children. The limited number of Hindus in the country and lack of good candidates among them usually offers limited options for prospective bride and grooms. Bangladeshi matrimonial websites offer an ideal solution to the problem. Many Bangladeshi and Bengali Hindus have their profiles on these sites, which offer a good option for the native people. Like the Soumi-Siddharth case, they can marry their children in India or in third countries with Bengali population.

Convenient Bangladeshi Matrimonial Services Online

Not only the availability of Bangladeshi matrimonial profiles online, but also the ease and convenience that these matrimonial services offer greatly help parents. Young people view this as a big ticket to their freedom and choice of life partner. There is no need to travel and spend on searching your life mate. You can browse thousands of websites while sitting at home and contact shortlisted profiles.

Online Matrimonial Services for Nonresidents

A large number of Bangladeshi Hindus live in India, the United States, the United Kingdom, and East Asia. They often look for prospective brides and grooms from their own country or among the Bangladeshi matrimonial profiles online. An attractive profile can catch their attention and will surely get a good match. There is no need to travel for these nonresident Bangladeshis to find a suitable match.

They also can know about various venues, such as five-star hotels and resorts offering wedding facilities. The websites also act as a social platform to discuss various things related to marriage and seek wedding planners.

Popularity Surpasses Debate

The facilities provided by Bangladeshi matrimonial services online have somehow generated a strong support among the people. The raging debate over its efficacy has been receded to the background thanks to its emergence as a popular option. Both Hindus and Muslims alike found merits in using online matrimonial services. While Muslim youth found it a medium to escape imposed conservative values, for minority Hindus these websites provide wider options.

 

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Gaiety And Merrymaking Accompany The Bangladeshi Wedding Rituals

The rituals and traditions surrounding marriage in most cultures and countries are performed primarily to validate the importance of marriage for the continuation of a clan. Be it an Indian marriage, Christian wedding, Hindu marriage, Muslim marriage or wedding held in any religion or society, wedding rituals are largely done to assert a familial or communal sanction on the mutual choice agreed upon by the bride and groom to enter in a marital relationship. Wedding rituals occupies a significant part in most marriages held across the world and it is no different for Bangladeshi weddings. I realized the true worth of wedding rituals in Bangladeshi marriages when I recently attended the marriage ceremony of one of my close friends- Saheli Choudhary residing in the fascinating country of Bangladesh.

Saheli was tying the knot with a boy whom her parents found through one of the popular Bangladeshi matrimonial websites. Finding a match online for a Bangladeshi bride and groom was not easy until a few years back. However, with the launch of more and more Bangladeshi marriage websites, people are finding it easier to find their soul mates. Coming back to Saheli’s wedding, I was expecting to see glimpses of traditional wedding rituals and conservative ceremonies in her marriage as hers was an arranged marriage. But my idea changed very soon as I reached the wedding venue of my dear friend. True to the spirit of a traditional Bangladeshi wedding, there were several rituals and all of them were performed over several days.

Wedding rituals began with henna ceremony in which Saheli’s hands and feet were painted bright with beautiful Mehendi designs. Several ladies and little girls attending the ceremony were also getting their hands decorated with henna. Songs of Mehendi and peppy hit film numbers closely associated with weddings were also played in the background. Some guests and close family friends were also dancing to the beats of the wedding music.

After the Mehendi ceremony, came the occasion were the groom’s family came to bride’s home and put turmeric all over the face and body of the girl. The ceremony is called ‘Gaye Holud’. Saheli’s in-laws also put turmeric paste on her body and presented her with valuable gifts, including gold rings, silver anklet, necklace studded with precious gemstones and bangles. Sumptuous feast was arranged on all the days when prominent wedding rituals were performed.

On the wedding day, the priest was invited to perform certain important wedding rituals and solemnize the wedding. After the ceremonies were over, Saheli and her groom signed on the marriage papers and more celebrations followed thereafter. Guests reveled in the celebratory mood that could be visibly felt in the wedding venue. Music from the shehnai elevated the wedding atmosphere and the delicious feast was enjoyed by all. The pre- and post-wedding ceremonies that I saw made me realize that the Bangladeshi wedding rituals have evolved in tune with contemporary trends.

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