Food. Lots of it. Good food. Traditional Bengali food. Hearty eaters. Lots of enthusiasm. A few Bengalis to take charge of the ordering. To explain the menu to everyone. To act as if they were hosting people at their own house. Strategizing on what to order.
Fish chops or fries? Vegetarians? Mochar chop? Must haves? Chhlolar daal luchi. Alu bhaaja please. Alur dom. Ok that will do. Kosha mangsho. Should we do fish curries and rice? Do you want begun bhaaja and daal. Yes, yes don’t worry there will be vegetarian food. I want chicken, I don’t eat red meat. I looove prawns, the one with mustard. And rice please (went the Tamilian). Can I have some rice please? (went the Bengali). More luchis. Lots of them. I don’t want rasgullas. I want rasgullas. Yes, malpuas would be good. What, no malpuas? Chutney. Mango chutney. No chutney? Tomato chutney. Done.
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| Fish fry |
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| Mochar chop |
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| Alur dom |
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| Kacha lonka murgi |
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| Kosha Mangsho |
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| Luchi |
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| Chholar daal |
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| Tomato khejurer chutney |
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| Shorshe narkol chingri |
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| Roshogollar payesh |
Four beaming Bengalis. Two Malayalis celebrating their New years too. A Marawari married to a Marwari from Calcutta. Twa Tamilians digging into the fish and prawns. One Andhra’ite.
The food arrived. Everyone became quiet. Eating studiously for about two hours as the crowds collected outside. Saturated smiles all around.
As someone aptly summed it “the energy was in the silence”
Yes, that’s as Bengali a way of celebrating the New Year or Poila Boishakh as I can think of.
Now for some green tea to make place for our Chinese dinner
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| The proud vegetarian … showcases the wealth of Bengali vegetarian cuisine |
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| Storm before the lunch |
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| No delegation or empowerment when it comes to ordering lunch |
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| “The energy is in the silence” as Deepak said |
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| The Rajni fans cannot have a meal without rice |
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| Finally got some rice after the Rajni fans let go |
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| This is the way we do it |
