''Gaye holud'' ( lit: "yellow/

turmeric Turmeric (), or ''Curcuma longa'' (), is a flowering plant in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. It is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that requires temperatures between and high ...

on the body") or ''gatro horidra'' () is a wedding ceremony observed by

Bengalis Bengalis ( ), also rendered as endonym and exonym, endonym Bangalee, are an Indo-Aryan peoples, Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group originating from and culturally affiliated with the Bengal region of South Asia. The current population is divi ...

. It is part of an elaborate series of celebrations constituting a Bengali wedding. The ''gaye holud'' takes place prior to the religious and legal wedding ceremonies. The ''gaye holud'' may be a joint event for the bride and groom's families, or it may consist of separate events for the bride's family and the groom's family.

Ceremonial process

The bride is seated on a dais and the turmeric paste is applied by the guests to her face and body. Sweets are then fed to the bride by all the guests and attendants, piece by piece. In some families,

henna Henna is a reddish dye prepared from the dried and powdered leaves of the henna tree. It has been used since at least the ancient Egyptian period as a hair and body dye, notably in the temporary body art of mehndi (or "henna tattoo") resulti ...

is used to decorate her hands and feet with elaborate abstract designs. During this ceremony, it is customary for the families to exchange gifts. The turmeric used in the ritual typically comes from the groom’s home, along with other elaborately adorned gifts known as ''tattwa'' (তত্ত্ব), presented by the groom’s family to the bride’s family. These gifts—often including fish (especially

ilish The ilish (''Tenualosa ilisha'') (), also known as the ilishi, hilsa, hilsa herring or hilsa shad, is a species of fish related to the herring, in the family Clupeidae. It is a very popular and sought-after food in the Bengal region, and is t ...

), sweets, and clothing—are not to be confused with

dowry A dowry is a payment such as land, property, money, livestock, or a commercial asset that is paid by the bride's (woman's) family to the groom (man) or his family at the time of marriage. Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price ...

; their significance lies in the intricate artistry of their decoration rather than the monetary value.

Popularity of the custom

Although similar ceremonies exist in other parts of the Indian subcontinent, the ''gaye holud'' is a custom particular to the Bengali people. It is not considered a religious function, as it is celebrated by Muslims, Hindus, and Christians in both Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal and wherever Bengalis live, irrespective of religion. Although it is considered a part of the Bengali wedding tradition, the couple is not considered married at the end of the ''gaye holud''. There is no legal marriage performed during this ceremony. Unlike the wedding ceremonies, the ''gaye holud'' is not a formal or extravagant event; both guests and bridal party members dress more simply and decorate the venue less intricately than at the wedding ceremonies.

Gallery

File:Fish Holud.jpg, The groom's family members often bring fish decorated as a wedding couple to the bride's gaye holud File:Wedding Photography of Bangladesh.jpg, Girls are dancing in Bangladeshi gaye holud ceremony

References

External links

{{Indian wedding Culture of Bengal Culture of Bangladesh Indian wedding traditions Bangladeshi wedding traditions

Ceremonial process

Popularity of the custom

Gallery

See also

References

External links