SAMINA GOES TO A WEDDING

A young girl travels to Bangladesh to attend her first family wedding.

Samina and her mother are greeted at the airport by her aunt Ruby, cousin Yasmine (the bride-to-be), and cousin Nita, who’s Samina’s age. As they arrive at Yasmine’s home and wedding preparations start in earnest, Samina marvels: The whole house is decked out in twinkling lights! Nita shows her the array of gifts for Yasmine and her fiancé and hands Samina a shiny gift, too: brightly colored bangles. The girls busy themselves making marigold garlands—known as Komla Phul—and practicing their dance moves. They’re amused by the Duyta Mach tradition, where the groom’s family sends the bride’s family two fish dressed up as a bride and groom, symbolizing good fortune. Pre-wedding festivities begin with the holud ceremony, where family and friends apply turmeric paste to the faces, arms, and feet of the bride and groom. Samina and Nita also decorate their hands with henna and partake in Rong Khlea, an outdoor event where people hurl colorful powders at one another. At last, it’s time for the wedding day; the bride and groom exchange vows, and Samina’s aunt holds up a mirror so they can see their reflection as a couple for the first time. Though there’s little conflict or drama here, Zaman offers a valuable cultural primer, with inserts expounding on each of the rituals mentioned and illustrations brimming with color, pattern, and detail.

An immersive window into Bengali wedding traditions.