Festivals
Durga Puja
Associations
Learn Bangla
Beng. Marriage
Art & Craft
Great Indians
Beauty Care
Recipe
Astrology
Beng. Section
Bengal
Calcutta
Beng. Calendar
Wallpapers
Movie
Music
E-Card
Shopping
E-Puja Room 
News
E-mail
Month's Events
Weather 
Chat
Travel
Join Us
Advertise
Website links
Link to us
Guest Corner
Services
WebSite Design

Bengalis are still entangled in its love even in this age of changing trends. To some the variety of Ganges is tastier than that of Padma as it is more sweet and soft to taste. While a large section of Bengalis especially those who emigrated from Bangladesh are blind fans of the Padma variety. Keep aside the taste the nostalgia mingles with it. But how come the present generation shares the taste without nostalgia is a question.

Particularly in the rainy season hilsa is considered one of the best delicacies on Bengali menu. There are many preparations of this fish. Taken fried, or with soup (jhol), baked folded in banana leaf (paturi) or steamed with mustard (bhape) it goes well with khichuri, as well as with panta or watered rice.

In the traditional protocol of Bengali entertainment, serving hilsa to very near, dear and honored guests for lunch or dinner is almost an obligation. Without this all other items, however rich those may be, are considered inadequateTo satisfy this demand of hilsa in the Bengali market increasedcatching of the fish is one of the reasons of decline in hilsa fishery. As big fishes in monsoon season carries eggs catching them means the eggs don't gets the opportunity to hatch.

Besides fishing regulations do not permit catching young hilsas as this will also affect the next year's production. Reduced supply of fish raises the price every year. Bengalis, originating from Bangladesh so practiced a ritual to promote the thriving of the fish. According to it they used to start eating hilsa after worshipping it in the day of Saraswati puja (goddess of learning) around January-February and stops eating after the celebration of Durga Puja (in the eighth day of the festival) around October. As August-October is the breeding season of hilsa for next five months the young hilsa fishes (khoka Ilish) are spared for thriving. Even fishermen used to keep big holes in their net so that the young fishes could slip off. But nowadays hilsa is available in market around the year to titillate the palates of Bengalis all around the world irrespective of age, sex and religion in this age of communication revolution. Hats off to hilsa.

Prev Page