Probashi bengali

Well, once I begin, I cant stop. Blame Grad school ( see post below) to get me addicted to writing again.

It was just three weeks here in Columbus, and I had the opportunity to go to a Durga Puja. When you are miles away from home, ocassions like this help you a lot. So enthusiastically, I tagged along. Sincere thanks to all seniors who oragnised the rides and all.

I decked up and then the series of shocks began for both parties. That is me (now referred as SD), and all the other bengalis, namely people from Calcutta (I am old fashioned, I like Calcutta as compared to Kolkata), from here on referred as CB.

With due respect to all people, CBs dont yet know probashis.
The first thing that a nice warm lady asked me was how could my Bangla diction be so correct.
Other questions through the course of the day and through the course of the next quarter ranged from "You actually eat fish?, Have you heard of Tagore or Ray?, Do you know streets of Kolkata?, Do you the rituals of poojas?" etc etc.

Well, I am flattered and and shocked at the same time. Thank you people for your compliments on my Bangla. But here are some things you should know about Probashi Bengalis. I shall vouch for the Delhi brigade, but also have high hopes from my Mumbai and Bengaluru counterparts.

So lets begin

1. All probashis can speak bangla, probably read and write as well (I am working on the latter). Thier diction is good too.

2. We are equally good at having a debate on "ghotis vs bangal"

3. Our Pujas rock. The dhaak, the bhog, the taal, the arati, the cultural programs, the sindoor khela are all there.

4. Our girls (and boys) can sing Rabindra Sangeet, sometimes better than Kolkata's generation Y, I am up for a dual anytime.

5. We do get some great fish here, and we can cook fish too. All the parts of the fish are eaten, the tail, the head and the bones

6. We too like gossip and adda, over phuchka and rolls which again are available over here.

7. We too live to eat sweets and everything (yes, everything) is available in this part of the country as well

8. We too love cricket and strikes. But sadly , Delhi doesnt have strikes. In Rome, do as the Romans do.

9. Weddings here are indeed a big affair, and the single most important thing in a wedding is the food, which at times is a bigger crowd puller than the bride and the groom.

10. Finally, most of us go to Calcutta atleast once a year, to shop for the best taangail saris, jute bags and meet near and dear ones. So we do know those streets.