Hello everyone, Today we will continue discussing Love and Marriage. Look at the picture above. This is a picture I took of a Bangladeshi bride and groom at a wedding reception I attended in Dhaka, Bangladesh. In the photo below you can see me with my colleagues. The men, including me, are wearing a traditional Bengali shirt called a "panjabi". This shirt is called a Kurta in India. We were a little embarrassed because all the Bangladeshi men wore European business suits.
Let's listen to two people talking about Love and Marriage in Bangladesh. Some people in Bangladesh have arranged marriages. Let's listen to a conversation about arranged marriages on my friend Todd Beukens' great website English Listening Lesson Library Online (ELLLO). Please listen to the conversation and do the quiz.
Next, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Cross cultural awareness and English vocabulary.
Now, let's learn more about Bengali weddings. Please click the link. Read the article and answer the questions:
1. What is a Ghotok?
2. What are the four parts of the Bengali wedding?
3. What is Gaye holud?
4. What is the Mahr?
5. Who arranges the wedding ceremony?
6. What do many of the wedding ceremony traditions revolve around?
7. Who arranges the reception?
8. What is the "flower bed" ceremony?
Finally, please leave a comment. What do you think of Bengali wedding traditions?
I like Bengali wedding traditions because it’s very gorgeous and beautiful. I think many traditional wedding has own custom but those are all gorgeous and people wish bride’s and groom’s happiness. Bengali’s Mahra, Botswana’s Lobora, Chinese dowry and Japanese Yuino, all are paid money or things as money to bride or bride’s family from groom or groom’s family. Those are all same kind of things I think. It is included their wishes so much. Those traditional customs show making a family is very important for human.
ReplyDeleteBengali wedding traditions are very different from Japanese ones. Many unique events are included. Through them, bride's and groom's family know each other well, and their bond will become stronger. I think wedding traditions are strongly rekatede to culture.
ReplyDeleteI like Bengali wedding traditions because it seems to be splendid ceremonies. The bride`s costume and decoration must be beautiful. I think those ceremonies are luxurious, but those are representation that many people pray bride`s and groom`s happiness with all their heart. Some traditions are similar and others are different from our traditions. However, I think that the wishes for bride and groom from families and friends and thinking of children`s happiness by their parents are common all over the world.
ReplyDeleteI think Bengali people become happy by Bengali wedding. It includes people's wishes. So, it's very gorgeous. I notice that red color is used many scene in Bengali wedding. This point is similar to Japan wedding. In Japanese style wedding, bride put on red kimono. In China, red means happy. I think this common point is interesting.
ReplyDeleteBengali weddings are so different from Japanese ones.
ReplyDeleteThe point that I surprised is arranged marriages,Japan also has arranged marriages but Bengali ones are so suddenly and they have few time to know each other.
Therefore I think Bengali weddings have so many event that each family become close.
Variety wedding events may have each mean that reflection of the area customs.
At first I thought I never accept such a arranged marriages in Bengali. I thought that arranged marriages in Bengali are different from Japanese contemporary marriages.
ReplyDeleteBut after that I considered it is also true that there were many arranged marriages in Heian period, or other ancient cultures!
In Heian period, women didn't know the husband's face until they marriaged. It's very similar to Bengali's one. So I think again "Actually these two cultures are very similar".
I’m envious the wedding. In Japan, we have our wedding ceremony in only a day. It is because they have a lot of work and little time to spend free time. That’s why I ‘m envious Bengal wedding. I think it is good to spend long time for the new married couple.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Bengali weddings is good.
ReplyDeleteIt is because I want to get love marriage.
I wonder Bengali don't fall in love.
But I'm interested in turmeric ceremonies.
It is very different event from Japanese weddings.
@ Miyu. K, Its not necessarily all the time arrange marriage that we have, i would say about 30 percent is love marriage in Bangladesh. Even though its love marriage we have same way of wedding, like Gaye Holud tradition and so on.
DeleteBengali wedding is influenced by their tradition, so there are many events which look strange for Japanese. However, I like it very much because we can realize this gorgeous ceremony bless and wish the couple's happy, without knowing their tradition. Besides cheifly it's beftiful!
ReplyDeleteI found out a little more about the wedding of Bengal.
ReplyDeleteI learned that during the night of the day Bengali weddings take places, bride and groom's best friends and their relatives must not sleep at all. It's so interesting.
I feel their gentleness to celebrate couple's happy wedding ceremony.
Bengali wedding is interesting.
ReplyDeleteIt is different from Japanese one.
If I marry, I want to get love marriage.
I think that the splendid wedding of Bengali is good.
I find it very interesting that most of the time arranged marriage can work out well even though its not based on love.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI like Bengali wedding tradition because it's very gorgeous and beautiful.
It's different from Japanese wedding tradition very much.
However, people's wish to the new married couple may be same.
It's the most important point.
I was very surprised about Bengali wedding because there are many cases of arranged marriages.
ReplyDeleteBut I can`t decide whether it is good or not.
Culture is different in each countries.
So I respect every culture!!
I think Bengali wedding customs are very wonderful.
ReplyDeleteFor example, the bride wears a lot of floral ornament and their marriage bed is decolated with flowers!!
I want to do so some day.
I think arranged marriage is one of the efficient ways of marriage.
ReplyDeleteMarriage means enter the family, and connect two families, so the marriage make all member of family should make them happy.
All people around two families celebrate the marriage, and it makes the ceremony in Bengali more gorgeous.
Hi, it is a well-composed article featuring Bangali matrimonial stuffs spiced up with wedding photographs. Thank you Michael for such a nice allusion. Glad to see Pat, Anne and that Haiku man in a wedding ceremony in Bangladesh. I would like to thank the Japanese students for drawing some minute comparisons. Guys, advance invitation to join my wedding ceremony if I am able to convince any young unmarried girl down here in Bangladesh! Love you all!
ReplyDeletewww.facebook.com/zahid.hasan26