Bengalis are one of the most
important linguistic and ethnic groups of people in India who mostly live in
the region of West Bengal. Bangladesh is also a region that is filled with a
large segment of Bengali people. Apart from that, the Bengali Diaspora is found
in many parts of the world, including Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the United
Kingdom, the United States, Pakistan, Canada, Japan, the Middle East, Singapore
and Italy. Over the centuries, the Bengalis have played a very important role
in the cultural development of India. Many notable freedom fighters, poets,
artists, linguistic experts, historians and intellectuals belong to this ethnic
group.
The art and craft of Bengal are
known for their unique design and look. Just like all other parts of India,
Bengal has also developed its very own cultural heritage when it comes to
handloom clothing. The handloom weavers in Bengal dedicate long hours of work
to come up with fine quality cotton and silk threads that they use to create
different types of notable clothing items. Once the threads are properly made,
the artisans and handloom experts of Bengal use them to weave fine sarees on
which they can then create unique art prints to make them look beautiful. The
sarees that are produced in Bengal are known to be extremely beautiful and are
worn extensively by women in different parts of India and the rest of the
world.
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| Jamdani Saree and Hilsa Fish both are preferable choice of Bengalis |
One of the sarees that is made in
Bengal is certainly the Jamdani saree. Originally the Jamdani saree was made
with rich quality muslin fabric that was prepared in the Dhaka region of
Bangladesh. These sarees has had a long association with the cultural evolution
of the Bengalis. Although the jamdani industry went through a major downturn
during the middle of 19th century, it has now made a comeback in the
fashion scene of India. High quality Jamdani cotton and silk sarees are worn by
women in Bengal and the rest of India for a wide range of social occasions and
events. Jamdani sarees are known to be extremely beautiful and colorful, with
popular motifs such as panna hajar, butidar, kalka, tersa, fulwar, duria, jalar
and charkona.
Apart from the clothing industry,
Bengalis have also left a rich impact in the culinary habits of this region of
India. Over the years, Bengali cuisine has developed its own unique identity,
with many of the Bengali dishes having a lasting impression on people. One of
them is certainly the Hilsa fish. Also known as Ilish to the Bengalis, the
hilsa is literally the most popular fish for the Bengalis and it has had a very
important influence in the food habits and culture of the Bengali people. During
the rainy season in Bengal, which is around the months of August and September,
families in all parts of Bengal enjoy the hilsa fish by cooking them in a
number of different ways.
Shorshe ilish, a dish that is
prepared by cooking smoked ilish with a paste of mustard seed is considered to
be a perennial favorite with the Bengalis. Other preparations, such as Ilish
fry, Ilish macher curry, doi ilish and ilish bhape are also extremely popular.
The widespread popularity of ilish in Bengal has led many restaurants and
eateries to produce their own ilish menu during this time of the year. Ilish
festival is carried out in different parts of Bengal that allows people to eat
this fish in a number of different preparations. Many auspicious occasions are
actually celebrated with jora ilish which is actually a pair of hilsa fishes.
This certainly explains the fervent popularity that Hilsa enjoys in Bengal.
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