JSW
------
No it is not about any steel company, it was JamaiSasthi-Weekend. For those who are
not familiar with this concept, let me give you a fair amount of introduction –
It’s a Bengali custom, where a son-in-law visits his mother-in-law, who offers
special puja for him, on a hot-n-humid day of 2nd month in Bengali
calendar. And without an exception, this is yet another occasion for the
taste-bud-all Bengali to celebrate the Gastronomics! Looking down the memory
lane, this virtually used to become a holiday as all the son-in-laws used to
head to their in-laws’ place sweating in their white silk kurtas, while
carrying loads of fruits and sweets for in-laws. In my childhood, as my dad did
not have a luxury to take off on weekdays, when this particular day used to
align on weekdays, I remember I used to enjoy watching son-in-laws on their
commitment to this custom! It was a funny observational experience - guys from
my locality used to head out with their family, some in colorful dresses, and
son-in-laws of our localhood used
to pour in – and all of them,
invariably, perspiring to the extent of drenching their clothes – Don’t blame
their nervousness, it all due the high-rising barometric mercury of mid-may in
the then Calcutta. I always wondered such a nice custom – why in Summer? I have
two reasons in my mind – firstly, summer hails with fruits – King of Fruits,
Mango, gets accompanied by Jackfruit, Berry, Litchi this time – offering a
juicy retreat. Secondly, Bhaiphonta, another custom of bother-n-sister, analogous
to Bhaiduja, serves the purpose of food-festival during winter, as a
half-yearly complement of Jamai-Sasthi! Some of you might be wondering, what is
so special? All just-wed son-in-laws are bound to receive such a treat! All the
beauty lays in the second clause of the custom – it’s a while loop until the
son-in-law upgrades himself to father-in-law status!
So no wonder my turn has come finally to sweat and eat –
last year my kind in-laws showered me with affections in terms of
fry-fish-fruit-sweet-gift on this particular occasion coming to Bangalore.
Though there was nothing less offered, but in all of our mind, we felt
something missing the completeness. Finally I discovered – I ate to my hearts
content, got the gift, but did not sweat! How can the custom be fulfilled, if
such a vital by-law gets missed out! So this year, I did not want to miss out
the same – though planned a bit abruptly at the last moment, by booking the
tickets, I got my father-in-law forced to plan on his part meticulously!
Finally, in the start of the weekend I was heading to Kolkata to serve my duty
of being a responsible Bangali, with my beloved boarding-pass to my
in-laws-place!
If I were based in Kolkata, I had to conclude my Jamaisathi
over a meal and be happy. But being an outstation candidate, leaving my parents
back in Bangalore, I had every right to have the luxury of enjoying an extended
Jamaisasthi spanning the weekend. Be it a start with Breakfast of Luchi-Alur
Torkari (White, fluffy Puri made in Maida and Potato Curry), every non-mega
meal was becoming a mini Jamaisasthi with a handful choice of fishes, sweets,
mangoes! Like a soldier in the front of the battle I was doing justice with all
the offerings! Other than meals at home, we had a dinner at Peter Cat, which is
a hallmark restaurant in Park Street, of late blessed by Rahul Gandhi on his
last visit – the CheloKebab was simply delicious, as I had read and heard. as
this was my first visit to this Pilgrimage place! Also to mention is the
delicacy of confectionaries from Flurys – yummier pastries than expected.
Finally came the Sunday afternoon – the mega moment! Rice
accompanied with Shukto (A mix vegetable dish with tinge of bitterness,
excellent taste changer), AamDaal (Daal with raw mango), a plateful of
vegetable fries, Hilsa Fry, Fish Fry,
Pabda Curry, Chital Curry, Hilsa-Sorse(A preparation of Hilsa with mustard),
Jumbo Prawn made my day de la Grand! Last but not the least, there was plateful
of Sweets waiting from Nakur, Chittaranjan with Himsagar mango! When I was
finishing one by one dishes with impeccable cleanliness, I was mindful of
mentioning the effort of sweating by my father-in-law to shop all the right
ones and my mother-in-law and my grand-mother-in-law sweating out in front of
oven in hot and humid summer! Finally, though they were delightful to see me
eating, I got my eyes moistened! Why the hell did I take so long to get
married! So many green years of JamaiSasthi went in vein, me looking around
other Jamais (Son-in-laws). Finally, the episode was sealed with an icing on
cake, by watching a stunning stage play at Girish Mancha. But still something
more was waiting to make the moment high – KKR winning against CSK in IPL
final. Ahh, what a fruitful, fishful, sweetful, plateful weekend. I suggest all
my eligible friends to attempt not to miss the flavor of this custom and my
non-bengali friends to embrace this custom of food-fun-festivity – if you guys
are not comfortable bringing up the same with your in-laws, please contact Amir
Khan for an episode in Satyameva Jayate for fighting for you!
