बिबान लांनाय (Biban langnai)

Summary: 
A pre-marriage ceremony performed by the bridegroom party in a Bodo marriage
Cultural Narrative: 

Biban langnai or the ceremony of carrying the bundle of commodities during the marriage ceremony is a pre-marriage ceremony performed by the bridegroom side. Areca nuts and betel leaves (goi arw pathwi jora) are essential for this ceremony. Two earthen pitchers (hani thinkli gonnwi) are carried to the house of the bride. On the body of the two pitchers, the sign of the Sun and the Moon is painted. If the sign is detected to be wrong then the bride-party charges a fine from the parents of the bridegroom. The person who carries the two earthen pitchers is called Barlangpha. There are strict rules for the selection of Barlangpha. A person to be selected as ‘Barlangpha’ must be young, stout, and jolly. If married, he must not be a widower. The Biban is placed by Barlangpha in front of the main house, ‘nomano’ and other commodities are placed beside the ‘Biban’. The ‘Biban’ consists of rice-beer (jau), pork (oma bedor), areca nuts (goi), and betel leaves (pathwi). During the occasion, the ‘Biban’, a pig is cut equally into two parts, of which one part is given to the parents of the bride and the other is given to the house of the bridegroom. The divided part is called Oma-Khoptang. The selected Barlangpha who starts the function of the pre-marriage ceremonies must perform all the functions till the end of the proper marriage.

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