BANYAN AND PORTIA’S (PAKUR) MARRIAGE AT FALAKATA FOR PROSPERITY

By Arunangshu Maitra (TNI Falakata)

Webdesk, TNI Kolkata 9th May, 2016: An age old tradition of locally marrying Banyan and Portia tree is carried out in far deeper in North Bengal. This year too the same phenomenon happened at Falakata. It was not at all a casual affair rather people were invited on the occasion and were fed like that of a normal marriage party. The event took place at Patkata Gram Panchayat’s Baidyanath Para. This tradition is seen in Jalpaiguri’s rural areas where the Portia (Pakur) tree is considered as the bride and the Banyan as the groom. The marriage party is solely a vegetarian party. The Banyan tree is wrapped with groom dress and Portia tree is wrapped with bride dress. This year the father of the Groom was Paritosh Roy and Bride was Fanindradeb Roy from the same village. The ritual depicts the Tree worship of Rajbonshi community that was done to bring in prosperity in the village.

Edited By: Snigdha Som (TNI Siliguri)

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