Gaye Holud
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Gaye Holud (Bengali: গায়ে হলুদ gaee holud "yellowing the body") is a ceremony observed mostly in the region of Bengal, comprised of Bangladesh and Indian West Bengal. It is part of an elaborate series of celebrations preceding the wedding ceremony. The Gaye Holud takes place one or two days prior to the religious and legal wedding ceremonies.
For the bride's Gaye Holud, the groom's family - minus the groom himself - go in procession to the bride's home. They carry with them the bride's wedding outfit, wedding decorations including the holud (turmeric paste) and mendi (henna), sweets and gifts. They also often bring fresh fish dressed as a wedding couple, or desserts moulded to resemble fish. The procession traditionally centers on the bride's (younger) female relatives and friends, who traditionally dress in matching clothes. The bride, her attendees, and all the guests traditionally wear red, yellow, orange, or green clothing. The guests then enjoy a feast arranged by the bride's family.
The bride is seated on a dais, and the henna is used to decorate the her hands and feet with elaborate abstract designs. The turmeric paste is applied by the guests to her face and body. This is said to soften the skin, but also colours her with the distinctive yellow hue that gives its name to this ceremony. The sweets are then fed to the bride by all involved, piece by piece. There is, of course, a feast for the guests.
The groom's Gaye Holud comes next, and has the same form as the bridal ceremony. In this program the bride does not partcipate. The groom is accompanied by his younger male relatives and friends, and as with the bride's ceremony, the guests traditionally wear red, yellow, green, or orange. The bride's family brings the gifts for the groom (usually the wedding outfit and some cosmetics) to his house. The guests exchange sweets with and apply turmeric paste to the groom, and a feast is arranged for the guests from the bride's family.
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 both Muslims and Hindus across Bengal (both Bangladesh and Indian West Bengal). It is not considered a part of the marriage ceremony, as there is no legal marriage performed during the Gaye Holud. Thus, some families choose not to hold this function, as it can be expensive. Still, many Bengali families observe this function quite seriously. Even though the number of people invited in Gaye Holud is usually much lower compared to the main wedding ceremony, this gives the immediate family members of the bride and the groom an extended period of festivity. The exchange of gifts between the two families is also an important dimension of this program.
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