GIVING AWAY THE BRIDE

According to an old folk wedding custom, the brides of some parts of Bengal are required to sit on a wooden seat and cover their face with a big Bengal betel leaf with the stem pointing upward and the tip downward. Only at a particular point in the ceremony (called shubhadriśt́i, “auspicious view”) does she remove the leaf and reveal her face. What a pathetic sight! Here she is dressed in her heavy wedding dress of Benares or Cheli silk, loaded down with heavy jewelry – just beside her the lucis are cooking and she is baking in the stifling air – lots of people are hovering around staring at her – the bridegroom is standing in front on a wooden seat – the dais is surrounded by water-filled pitchers and plantain leaves – all eyes are concentrated on the couple – and she must sit there awkwardly like a lump of clay! Her life is nearly choked out in this atmosphere – the sweat is pouring down, she is at the end of her tether. I do not know whether this custom is still in fashion or not, but if it is, it is really a painful situation for the bride.