Game on! 5 Bengali Wedding Games To Decide Who'll Rule The Roost After Your Biye

If weddings were only about the customs and elaborate rituals, it would be extremely stressful for the bride and the groom, along with their close ones. This is the reason every wedding is ornamented with certain fun and light games to add a breather in between! Wedding games are specially designed in a fashion that they work as ice-breaking activities between the two families.

Whether it’s welcoming the bride in the new family, or teasing of the groom by his sisters-in-law, different Indian wedding games have regional variations but with the sole purpose of having a fun-fair. So, let’s take a look at some Bengali wedding games, who can play them and how!

1. Sweet Tooth Competition

You didn’t think there would be a Bengali wedding without a sweet-fest, did you? If you’ve ever been to a Bong wedding, you’d know that every event, big or small, is commenced and concluded with sweets. So how about turning this sweet-eating fiesta into a whole game?

One of the most popular Bengali wedding games is the Roshogollaeating competition between the groom and the bride. And if you think a groom always wins this game, you’d be wrong. When it comes to having sweet-tooth, Bengali brides could go a long way!

When to play: Post wedding get-together, reception dinner.

Who plays it: It’s usually played between the bride and the groom but it could also be improvised and played among the groomsmen and bridesmaids.

Prizes: The best part of the game is, the game itself is the prize! Whoever wins gets more sweets! Sometimes, the elderly relatives gift token money or a bridal saree/groom's kurta to the winner.

2. The Bashor Bash

The ‘Bashor’ is the king of all Bengali wedding games that you’d see at a wedding. Basically, Bashor is synonymous to a mega Game night where friends, cousins and all the young relatives of both families compete in a series of games.

Traditionally Bashor was just about singing songs. But not anymore. Here are a few games you can play at a Bashor between the Bride and the Groom teams:

• Antakshari competition.
• Charades involving movie names or songs.
• Pictionary.
• Truth or Dare.
• Guess the song by the hook step.

When to play: Bashor games are played after the wedding is over. Since the bride and the groom are supposed to stay awake that whole night everyone plays games.

Who plays it: Bridesmaids, groomsmen, best friends and young relatives of the bride and groom.

Prizes: Token money, keychains or little souvenirs or chocolates.

3. Fish the Ring

One of the simplest Bengali wedding games, this fun and cheerful exercise is just as the name suggests - a ring-fishing game. When the bride enters her new house, her sisters-in-law and husband’s friends make the newlywed couple play this game.

A large bowl is filled with Alta-coloured water, flower petals, coins and a gold ring. The bride and the groom are asked to look for the ring while everyone else cheers them. Whoever finds it, gets to keep the ring!

When to play: After Bidai, when the bride comes to her new home.

Who plays it: The bride and the groom with two groups of supporters cheering for them.

Prizes: The ring itself is a prize. Sometimes, elderly relatives gift money and clothes too.

4. The Shell and Rice tricks

This Bengali wedding game is a bit tricky one! Usually played at Bashi biye, the groom and the bride are made to sit together on the ground along with all the other family members. Five tiny earthen pots are filled with turmeric, rice and shells.

Now the bride is asked to topple the pots and the groom is asked to neatly rearrange the contents of the pots. The same thing is done by both of them alternatively. Whoever rearranges each little content inside the pot is the winner. It is believed that the person who is able to pick each grain of rice and put them back neatly will organise the family better.

When to play: Bashi Biye or the day after the wedding.

Who plays it: The bride and the groom alternatively with supporters cheering for them.

Prizes: The mother-in-law or some elderly relative gifts money or clothes to the winner.

5. Topor Vs Mukut War

Like most Bengali wedding games, this one too involves the bride and the groom themselves. A big bowl of water is moved in a circular motion. Then the tips of the groom’s Topor (Headgear) and bride’s Mukut are broken and then softly placed on the water. Whichever object follows the other, signifies who will follow whom in their marital life on the basis of their owner! E.g. Mukut follows Topor or vice-versa. Whoever is followed, wins!

When to play: After Bidai, when the bride comes to her new home.

Who plays it: The bride and the groom alternatively with supporters cheering for them.

Prizes: Some elderly relative gifts money to the winner.

Load up your Bengali Tatta with all kinds of sweets because you might have to gobble them up as a part of your Bengali wedding games! And just like any other wedding games, these are all played for jest and cheerfulness. Today many wedding games and customs have blended together across communities.

Like the Jutta chhupai and untying the holy knot have also become prominent parts of Bengali weddings now. So be a sport! Join any team you like and play wedding games to add colours to the wedding traditions.

Do you like any of the games you just read about? Tell us which one id your favourite in the comments section below.