The Last Meal That Marks the Beginning of a New Life

When I witnessed the tradition of aiburobhaat and its role in a life’s turning point

A feast that celebrates love tradition and new beginnings. Photo by the author.

Every year, we visit India in December to spend festive time with family and friends. But this year was different — it was special. We had a wedding in the family, so all our plans revolved around the wedding rituals.

The bride was my sister-in-law. She lived all her life in Kolkata (a city in West Bengal state). She was going to tie the knot with a Bengali guy from the same city. Both grew up in the same culture, speak the same language and love everything about Bengal.

I am married to a Bengali, but I come from a state in the opposite corner of the country. Our wedding happened in Kolkata, but it blended Bengali and Rajasthani traditions. Other weddings I’ve attended in the family also carried a mix of rituals, often crossing boundaries of religion and culture.

While it was always exciting to see couples from various cultures coming together, I secretly longed to experience a traditional Bengali wedding — one that followed all the rituals I’d heard so much about over the years.

This time, my wish came true. As both the bride and groom were Bengali, the wedding followed every ritual, lovingly guided by the elders…