User:Heliophilous/Sandbox 1

Maachhe Bhate Bengalee a popular proverb describes Bengalee people for their glutton nature and their fish inclusive rituals and now it is a myth. To a Bengalee fish is not just a delicious addition to plates but an integral part of many rituals and celebrations too. Bengal region is always famous for its food variation in their cuisine ever since the establishment of civilization in their landscape of glutton. From the annaprashna, first rice eating ceremony of a baby to weddings and even the funeral rituals - fish plays an intrinsic part. In the world’s oldest derby, the Calcutta derby, also intrinsically attached to the fish fondness of Bengalee people.

History
In India fish is considered as God, the First of the ten incarnations of Vishnu. But in Bengal, there is no such thought and believed that having fish is auspicious for entering a new phase of life. In late medieval and early modern text, Mangalkabya, ballads to understand the variation in Bengali culture and cuisine. Mangalkabya focused on how the worship of a particular deity was established and traditionally it is sung in rhythmic poetry and circulated orally to the ordinary people of Bengal.

Though it is not clear from when the rice came to Bengal it is supposed that from south Asia about 5000 years ago rice became Bengalee's major caloric resource of daily life. A recent Archaeological survey pointed out that food grain (probably rice) and fish included since the prehistorical age. Govt report in 1940 told that out of 3600Kcal daily intake, Bengaee people take 3400Kcal from rice only. May it is seemed to be ridiculous but it can be trusted just by observing Bengalee's present preferred diet.

Many references are scattered across Bengali texts describing rice as primary items of the Bengalee diet. One of the oldest Bengali Script Charjapad gave written support of it. This 11th century text describes fishing, hunting, and many crops including rice and sugarcane. Here an interesting note is “Bengali People preferred boiled rice whereas rest of people make rice directly.

Geography
Geographically Bengal is famous for her extraordinarily fertile agricultural land and producing various delicious luscious rice traditionally. Though very few are often cultivated abut more than 50 types of luscious paddy are scientifically cultured and produce. Again as the Bengal region geographically situated in the lower basin of the Ganges river so she also has a river network that is apparently an inexhaustible resource of different varieties of fish. With due reason, Bengalee people include fish and rice very gratifyingly to their daily food habit and emerged as the staple food for their own.

Demography
The entire Bengal region is about 2,28,000 km2, of which one-third part is now in Bangladesh and census report also says about 222 M people are Bengali speaking an of which 141 M in now in Bangladesh and 81 M people are living in India mainly in West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, etc. An interesting fact is this population is larger than many sovereign countries.

Bengalees' Food habit
Apart from direct fish and rice dishes, many vegetables are also an important part of Bengalee food habits. Surprisingly Bengalee’s edacious mind includes fish in these veg dishes and made it non-veg. Some of the well-known fish oriented vegetable made dishes are “Chharri” (চচ্চড়ি), “Sukta”(শুক্ত), “Macher Matha Diye Muger Dal”(মাছের মাথা দিয়ে মুগের ডাল), “ Ilish Macher Matha diye Kochur Shak” (ইলিশ মাছের মাথা দিয়ে কচুর শাক) etc. Actually, local availability often determines the traditional food habit of an ethnic group, and Bengalee food is not an exception. Bengal’s river line and fertile field just triggered it. Poor to rich all are fall in love with fish and rice. Much historical literature, terracotta plaques on the temple wall,s and "Viharas" (Buddhist Monasteries) depict scenes of fish being dressed and taken to market in baskets.

Though the brahmins in India were not allowed to eat non-veg food (may be after Buddhists revolution), the popularity of fish forced to waive restriction from the Brahmin society in Bengal. 13th century texts from Bengal “Brihaddharma Purana” permitted the Brahmin people to eat certain white scaled fish varieties.

Food humorous Bengalee never bound paddy only for producing rice, but “Muri” (puffed rice), “Chira” (flatten Rice), “Khoi” also took into their preferred list. "Moya", "Murki", "Muri" are very strongly taken possession of their place. Jhal Muri (ঝাল মুড়ি) or Muri with Tele Bhaja Or Muri-Chanachur is one of the famous evening snacks of Bengalee. Once "Murki" was a very famous welcoming dish and was very pretty favorite sweet to the children but now it ostraciscal to God offering item.

Proverbs

 * Govir joler Machh
 * Sak Diye Maachh Dhaka
 * Bhaja Mach Ulte Khawa
 * Raghob Boyal

Reliable Newspaper

 * Anandabazar ; Livemint ; Prothomalo ; Bangla-aianetnews ; Zee24Ghanta ; EiSomoy

Books







 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 1386 Every Bengali household has fish eaters, and the preference is for Inland fish . Fish is also an important food item on important occasions like marriage , Durga puja , etc. A marriage ceremony is considered incomplete if fish was not served at  ...
 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 1386 Every Bengali household has fish eaters, and the preference is for Inland fish . Fish is also an important food item on important occasions like marriage , Durga puja , etc. A marriage ceremony is considered incomplete if fish was not served at  ...




 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 349 The marriage ( biye ) day The womenfolk would induce the couple to observe feast is hosted by the bride ' s house while ... applying turmeric The feast at a Bengali marriage, till now , forms an and oil . In some . important part . Fish is a must.
 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 349 The marriage ( biye ) day The womenfolk would induce the couple to observe feast is hosted by the bride ' s house while ... applying turmeric The feast at a Bengali marriage, till now , forms an and oil . In some . important part . Fish is a must.


 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 99 ( 7 ) Niceties of fish and flesh in marriage feasts ( XVI . 76, 81 , 82 , 87 ) etc : - .. .. The nicety of fish and flesh is a notable feature of Bengal . Excepting Kashmir , nowhere else in India does a fish meal constitute a prominent part of a banquet like ...
 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 99 ( 7 ) Niceties of fish and flesh in marriage feasts ( XVI . 76, 81 , 82 , 87 ) etc : - .. .. The nicety of fish and flesh is a notable feature of Bengal . Excepting Kashmir , nowhere else in India does a fish meal constitute a prominent part of a banquet like ...


 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 113 Weddings among Bengali Hindus are elaborate affairs, stretching over three days , with the preparatory rituals beginning ... are prolific in fish , it is not surprising that Bengalis consider fish a symbol of plenty and use it in their wedding rituals.
 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 113 Weddings among Bengali Hindus are elaborate affairs, stretching over three days , with the preparatory rituals beginning ... are prolific in fish , it is not surprising that Bengalis consider fish a symbol of plenty and use it in their wedding rituals.


 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 117 Bengalis take food very seriously and reportedly spend a larger portion of their disposable income on food than people elsewhere in India. Two hallmarks of Bengali cuisine are fish and sweets. (So great is the love of fish that poor people will ...
 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 117 Bengalis take food very seriously and reportedly spend a larger portion of their disposable income on food than people elsewhere in India. Two hallmarks of Bengali cuisine are fish and sweets. (So great is the love of fish that poor people will ...




 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 57 In the first section, the importance of rice and fish as foods defining quintessential Bengaliness and their intelligent ... Eating and cooking rice and fish by the Bengali American diasporans are therefore both important socio-cultural and political ...
 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 57 In the first section, the importance of rice and fish as foods defining quintessential Bengaliness and their intelligent ... Eating and cooking rice and fish by the Bengali American diasporans are therefore both important socio-cultural and political ...


 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 203 ... fish cooked with bottle gourd, fried koi and pigeon, gravy made from rohu, fish head, and katla cooked with mango.43 A comparative analysis of all the texts clearly shows the difference in culinary culture between different regions of Bengal.
 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 203 ... fish cooked with bottle gourd, fried koi and pigeon, gravy made from rohu, fish head, and katla cooked with mango.43 A comparative analysis of all the texts clearly shows the difference in culinary culture between different regions of Bengal.


 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 705 SIGNIFICANCE OF FISH IN BENGALEE HINDU FOLK CULTURE SABITA RANJAN SARKAR Bengal was previously one of the ... The inhabitants of both these parts, with Bengali as their mother tongue , are referred to as the Bengalees.
 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 705 SIGNIFICANCE OF FISH IN BENGALEE HINDU FOLK CULTURE SABITA RANJAN SARKAR Bengal was previously one of the ... The inhabitants of both these parts, with Bengali as their mother tongue , are referred to as the Bengalees.


 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 160 common and popular food - articles were / are not, however , eaten by the Brāhmaṇas outside Bengal . Both fish and meat Food were / are available in plenty in Bengal , and the and drink Bengali Brahmins had broken their taboo on fish and ...
 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 160 common and popular food - articles were / are not, however , eaten by the Brāhmaṇas outside Bengal . Both fish and meat Food were / are available in plenty in Bengal , and the and drink Bengali Brahmins had broken their taboo on fish and ...


 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 161 Kalia korma Kopta kabab  These four terms, though originally used for meat dishes have also been extended to fish dishes by the Muslims , e . g . , / macher kalia / , ' fish kalia , ' / macher korma / ' fish ... In general , / bhat / ' boiled rice ' stands for food in Bengali culture.
 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 161 Kalia korma Kopta kabab  These four terms, though originally used for meat dishes have also been extended to fish dishes by the Muslims , e . g . , / macher kalia / , ' fish kalia , ' / macher korma / ' fish ... In general , / bhat / ' boiled rice ' stands for food in Bengali culture.


 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 31 The Indian fish cultures rival those of China in their antiquity, and in the importance of their contribution to the economy . I was told that 95 percent of the people in West Bengal eat fish every day , and that every rural Bengali family either owns ...
 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 31 The Indian fish cultures rival those of China in their antiquity, and in the importance of their contribution to the economy . I was told that 95 percent of the people in West Bengal eat fish every day , and that every rural Bengali family either owns ...


 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 85 The seasonal movement of fish across the floodplain and up and down rivers are reflected in the economy and culture of Bangladesh. The distinctive character of the “mache bhate Bangali” (rice and fish Bengali) was sustained by regular and ...
 * FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 85 The seasonal movement of fish across the floodplain and up and down rivers are reflected in the economy and culture of Bangladesh. The distinctive character of the “mache bhate Bangali” (rice and fish Bengali) was sustained by regular and ...