An Assamese marriage is the wedding ceremony which takes place in the state of Assam or between Assamese people. Assamese wedding is based on Vedic traditions and rituals. In Assamese language ceremony is known as "Biya". The traditional wedding song is known by "Biya naam". It is simple and yet very elegant. This wedding is a unique traditional culture like chanting of "Uruli". Uruli is the sound made by ladies by rolling their tongues.
Assamese wedding ritual categorized in two parts….
Juran is the first day ceremony. It held the before the wedding day. This ritual is performed by women. The bride's mother greets them and gives them a warm welcome with the xhorai, a brass plate, in which betel nuts and betel leaves are neatly arranged and covered with a gamocha.Here the groom's mother along with some close relatives visits the bride's house. Groom's mother gives the gifts to bride and her mother.
Tel Diya is the main custom followed by the Assamese, prior to the wedding. In this ritual, the groom's mother puts a ring and betel on the bride's hair partition. In addition, she pours oil that she has brought along, thrice on the betel. Thereafter, she applies sindoor on the bride's hair partition and presents her wedding trousseau.
PANI TULA which means collecting the sacred water by the bride and groom"s mother for the ceremonial bath. According to Nuani tradition, after bath bride and groom to help get ready for their wedding ceremoney.
Daiyan diya is a Assamese traditional ceremony observed early in the morning of the wedding day. Daiyan diya means, curd is sent to the bride's house from the groom's place. The bride eats half of the curd and returns the rest to the groom's house.
In the wedding day observed Nau - Purush Shardha performed by bride and groom's father. This special ceremony in honor of last nine generation ancestors from the groom's father side and the last three generations from the mother's side. It is like presenting the departed souls an invitation to this auspicious ceremony.
The wedding day start with the performance of the bathing custom. The bride and groom's mother visit the nearby river or lake with a pot and fetch holy water. They are bathed with the holy water, at their homes.
In Assamese wedding, reception party is held before the marriage ceremoney. In older age assamese people mostly serve Doi Jaalpan and Gur (Curd & Rice & Jaggery) in the reception. But now a days most of the people serve Rice, Daal, various Veg, Non-veg etables etc.
The entire wedding guest eagerly waits for the groom. The groom wears the traditional dress "dhoti", "kurta" and silk shawl on his shoulder. The arrival of the groom calls for fun activities. In the Assamese tradition, the bridegroom's marriage procession is not given entry into the bride's home, until they pay a heavy price.
The bride's mother welcomes her future son-in-law. In the mean time, the bride's younger sister washes the groom's feet, for which she is rewarded with a gift. After that, the bride's brother lifts the groom and takes him to the wedding hall. The bride enters the wedding hall on the shoulder of her elder brother.
The bride and the groom sit at the mandap, facing the sacred fire. In the front of holy fire bride and groom exchange their garlands of flowers and amidst the chanting of mantras. Bride and groom take a vow in front of sacred fire. Conch shells are blown as a sign celebration by the ladies. The groom applies sindoor on the forehead of the bride. After completion wedding ceremoney the friends and relatives come forward to bless the newly weds.
The bride leaves their parental home after wedding. After the wedding newly wed couple moves to groom"s house together. The bridegroom's mother performs the traditional aarti, to welcome her son and daughter-in-law.