Bengali Wedding- An IT Love Story

Bengali Wedding Photography in Kolkata

Wedding photography under events has a distinct place of its own. Mainly considering the Indian wedding, the myriad of cultures varying from north to south to east to west of the country has aptly made wedding photography into an umbrella category by itself. Shooting weddings demand a few more hats than solely that of a photographer. The entire team has to gel well with the family so as to resonate as one with the family. For the family members to get comfortable to the person behind the lens is equivalent to them getting comfortable with the lens enabling the photographer to capture the candid moments.

Considering the large list of cultures and large plethora of wedding rituals, diving into such a new project is like building a taste for a new flavour each time. In the last wedding season of 2019 we got the opportunity to shoot a Bengali wedding. A winter wedding is a sought after season for a tropical country like India.

The idealistic career path considered by majority Indian parents is to get an engineering degree and then join an IT firm. Now, what is rarely noticed is that this IT boom has also paved the way for so many love stories. Kalyan and Sumita’s wedding was another IT love story. Even before they could retrospect as how their relationship grew from colleagues to friends to lovers, they were already seated on the 'piri' to become life partners.

Now, would you be wondering what's a 'piri'? Let's discuss some of the Bengali wedding rituals that we got a chance to capture.

• Application of Aalta

Instead of the mehndi which we see in a common Hindu wedding, a red pigment called aalta is applied on the hands and feet of the bride as a symbol of Goddess Lakshmi, to bless her new home with wealth and prosperity.

• Bor Aasha

On the day of the ceremony, the arrival of the groom which is similar to a baraat but it isn't as wild and crazy with band baja baarat. The groom is made to sit in a separate area where he will be greeted by all the guests until it's time to tie the knot.

• Bor Boron 

This a Bengali wedding ritual comes after the bor jatri or the baarat reaches the bride’s place. Upon arrival the groom and his family is welcomed by the bride’s mother along with her family members by doing aarti with the holy lamp and serving the sweets.

• Saat Paak

We say gate crash a bengali wedding just to see this beautiful ritual! This is a beautiful sight to be witnessed only at a Bengali wedding. The bride is made to sit on a piri (wooden plank), and then carried to the mandap by her brothers or uncles. She holds sacred beetle leaves to keep her eyes and face covered to avoid looking at the groom. Keeping her lifted up on the piri, her brothers’ then walk around the groom seven times.

• Subho Drishti

After saat paak, subho drishti is where the bride removes the betel leaves from the front of her face and looks at the groom. This exchange of the loving glance marks the beginning of the couple to be officially together in witness of their family and friends.

• Sampradan

Sampradan is similar to Kanyadaan in a Hindu wedding ceremony. In the Bengali wedding ritual an elderly male member of the bride’s family, usually the father gives her hand to the groom to be tied together by a sacred thread of lifelong togetherness.

• Anjali

In this wedding ritual, an offering of puffed rice is made into the yagna (the holy fire) by the bride and the groom. The bride’s brother gives puffed rice in the bride’s hands while the groom holds her hand to pour the offering into the yagna together.

• Sindoor Daan

This is the final wedding ritual for Bengalis. The groom applies sindoor or vermillion the bride’s hair-parting. After this the bride is considered as a married woman.

• Hulhuli

Hulhuli or ululating in a Bengali wedding is done as a signal for the beginning or end of important occasions and events. Hulhuli is usually accompanied by the blowing of the conch shell.