I know the bengalis have a certain rasam where they dress up a fish and each side sends it to the other. The grooms side sends a fish dressed as a bride, and the bride sends one dressed as a groom.
What exactly is the origin of this custom? And what do they do with the fish?
Re: Fish decorating ceremony
lolz... it must have to do with bengalis obsession with fish...lolz
Re: Fish decorating ceremony
MOchaalli as they say:@:
Re: Fish decorating ceremony
lolz... it must have to do with bengalis obsession with fish...lolz
LOL.. yeah why is that? Does fish hold any symbolic value to them as cows do to indians?
Re: Fish decorating ceremony
Fish doesn't have any religious significance like the cow for Hindus.
It's a staple in their diet because of all the fresh water they have in the country, rivers and various waterways. Fish is huge here in Indonesia as well, mainly cause we are surrounded by water. Bangladesh has loads of fresh water streams so it only makes sense that they eat a lot of fish.
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Fish is really good for your skin and hair.. it's interesting that Bengalis eat so much fish.. my mom grew up in Dhaka before the partition happened.. I should ask her about this custom.
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True, fish has no religious significance. It just a staple as it is accessively available. I am not sure, why they have this dressing yup fish rasam. Maybe someone started it as a fun thing, later it was turned into a rasam.
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dress the fish up as a dulhan? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
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http://www.bardhaman.com/matrimony/bengali_marriage_rituals.htm
i found that link but it talks about a hindu custom…
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Thanks for the link... I read through it.. saw lots of references to fish... but none about fish decorating.. must only be a tradition in some families rather than a rasam I guess..
Re: Fish decorating ceremony
yeah..they do this rasam on the day of ubtan..one of my friend is bangali muslim and she got married few months ago so she told me abt this
this is the link u can know mor abt it...and this rasam called gaye holud.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaye_Holud
Re: Fish decorating ceremony
Apart from Bangladesh being a riverine country where you can find fresh-water fish in abundance, the fish is also considered a symbol of health, prosperity and fertility in the Bengali culture. Fish items find their way in almost all celebratory meals amongst the Bengalis. With regard to the fish decorating ceremony, it is simply a gesture from the groom’s family, wishing the new couple a blessed conjugal life. On the morning of the gaaye holud (upbtan/haldi), which marks the start to the wedding festivities, two large fishes are sent from the groom’s house to the bride’s house. The fish are often decorated to depict the bride and the groom and sometimes money is hidden inside their mouths which are later given away as charity. These fish are usually cooked and served at the gaaye holud function that takes place later in the evening. I personally find it to be one of the cutest customs from Bengali weddings!
http://thesaricladbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Gayeholud_13.jpg