For thousands of years, Bengalis have been known for their culture and cuisine across the globe. Whether it’s an array of sumptuous delicacies, or foods carrying cultural hues, Bengali cuisine is incomplete without the mention of fish. And in monsoons what else can it be apart from – Ilish – or Hilsa, the Queen of Fish?
Hilsa – The Monsoon Delight
Needless to say, every fish-loving Bengali eagerly awaits the monsoons to arrive to be able to relish a piece of the Hilsa fish or ilish maachh as they dearly address it. Centuries of fascination for ilish amongst Bengalis have made this a glorious and a luxurious part of their cuisine, culture and heritage. Bengalis in every part of the world, whether having roots in the Indian part of Bengal or the neighbouring country of Bangladesh, simply devour this herring whether during monsoons or festivities.
Hilsa in Celebrations and Rituals
Ilish forms an integral part of Bengali New Year’s or Poila Boishakh celebrations in Bangladesh where the fish is served with soaked-fermented rice or panta-bhaat. Even Bangladeshi weddings are often incomplete without ilish maachh.
On the other hand, in West Bengal, a certain percentage of Hindu Bengails (mainly Bangals) relish jora-ilish, literally translating into a pair-of-hilsa on Saraswati Puja. Apart from that ilish makes up for most of the meals in a Bengali Hindu household during the monsoons, often stretching till the Durga Pujas.
The Journey of Hilsa: From River to Plate
Every monsoon, the madness that accompanies the arrival of this fish in the markets lends spicy fodder for pages of stories. Hilsa or Tenualosa ilisha is an anadromous fish that spends most of its life in the ocean but moves towards the estuary during the rainy season. It is the point where the rivers of Bangladesh and West Bengal meet the Bay of Bengal. It is believed that since the hilsa travels through two main water bodies, it has the best combination of flavours from both – sea and river. The best-tasting hilsa is often said to be the ones found in the Padma river of Bangladesh, followed by the ones in the Ganga on the other side of the border.
The Price of Love: Hilsa in the Market
With a good harvest, the markets end up being flooded with this shining silvery estuarine herring with an elusive pink streak. It’s no surprise that the demand continues to rise and prices shoot up like crazy, often crossing the Rs 2500/- per kg mark. But, even that does not dissuade ilish-loving Bengalis to consume this fish as a fried accompaniment to hot khichuri especially on a rainy day.
Hilsa as a Cultural Comfort
Interestingly, for the vast majority of Bengalis, especially those living in Kolkata (or even the rest of West Bengal), the consolation offered by ilish, prepared in a variety of styles, makes the ordeal of wading through the waterlogged streets of the city, or dealing with the inhuman humidity that stretches through the monsoon months, somewhat bearable.
The Age-Old Rivalry: East vs. West
For Bengalis in both West Bengal and Bangladesh, the herring is an absolute delicacy, cooked in a range of spices and flavours, though each side certainly claims supremacy over the other. Ancient debates over the right way of cooking the fish persist. Recipes inherited from bangal (families that moved from east to West Bengal during Partition) and ghoti (the original inhabitants of the West) traditions compete for glory. Some well-known dishes include ilish bhapa (steamed hilsa), ilish paturi (ilish wrapped in banana leaf and smoked), shorshe-ilish (in mustard paste), popular in both Bengals. Others include ilish nonibahar, ilish panikhola (popular in Bangladesh).
Like the age-old battle between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan clubs, the beacons of football in Bengal, the rivalry over ilish continues to be fought fiercely in Bengali kitchens till date.
By: Sampurna Majumder
A communications professional, Sampurna was born and raised in Kolkata. Growing up, she was fascinated by everything creative – from music to literature to world cinema. She is also an avid reader and enjoys travelling. She holds a Masters’ Degree in Literature from University of Delhi.
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