The Ethos of Bengal

-A tribute to Bengali Food
The average Bengali who might not even have heard of Irishman George Bernard Shaw, however, seems to live by Shaw’s quote “There is no sincerer love than the love of food.” While most Bengalis like to argue on random facts of life, I am sure no Bengali will argue with me when I say “Bengalis do not eat to live; but live to eat.”
Be it the occasion of a marriage or the auspicious Durga Puja or even the unobtrusive occasion of a new car; we Bengali’s do not actually need an excuse for a good grub. Even as i write i am sure there are at least 100 or more feasts going on in and around Kolkata, and i am honestly not exaggerating. The British custom of ‘get together’ has been strikingly redefined in Bengal. While it used to be a formal gathering for the upper class, it has now turned into an event where on being invited our only incentive to attend it is the Menu.
Be it the majestic Chingri Macher Malai Curry or the humble Panchmeshali Chochchori, Bengalis sure know how to relish even the most minute crumb of their dishes. A recent survey showed that a majority of Indian food connoisseurs have their roots in Bengal. If you were to take a trip around the city of joy, you will be amazed at the variety of food that the streets have to offer; Punjabi, Mouglai , Chinese, South Indian you name it. The continental food of Park Street requires a special mention, for the eateries there date back to more than 150 years. That’s not all, Park Street also is the place to be at the time of the year-end festivities. Even the indigenous breed of ‘Indian Chinese’ was invented right here on the very soil of my city, Kolkata.
When you talk about the ‘BANGALIR BHURIBHOJ’ how can you forget the mention of fish? Bengal is undoubtedly the ’FISH CAPITAL’ of India. To Bengalis fish is not merely a food item, but the symbol of the intellectual and cultural Bengali. The fish delicacies of Bengal are just as famous around the globe as the Parisian platter. Mach bhaja, Macher jhol, Macher chop; the very inclusion of the word ‘mach’ makes it a necessity to us Bengalis.
Bengalis are mostly non-vegetarians. Even mutton has its share of popularity when it comes to the Bengali platter. Rich mutton dishes are something that symbolise the social stature of a Bangali babu. While speaking of non-vegetarian food i cannot deny the poultry for its genourous contribution in the Bangalir Bhuribhoj.
We Bengalis might be the epitome of unhealthy diet but the ground reality is that we just cannot miss out on the pleasures of the delectable Bengali cuisine just for the sake of our health. It may sound appalling but when it comes to food, it is not just important to us but it is and will always remain our very reason to live.