Yesterday on my way home from office, I heard an elderly couple lamenting that "Ajkalkar chhelemeyegulo ar Bangali nei!" (Youngsters, they are not Bengali anymore!). Then they went on to say how those good olden days were and how times have changed. Inspired by their discussion, I thought of preparing a checklist which contains all the eligibility criteria that someone need to satisfy to be called a "Bangali" (Bengali/ Bong!!). Here it is.
1. Do you love the "Rasogolla"? If you don't, then sorry my dear friend, your application for being called a Bengali will be summarily rejected. This is the first criterion that you have to satisfy.
2. You have to love Rabindra Sangeet. Period.
3. You have to support either East Bengal or Mohun Bagan and you have to argue vehemently that your team is the best. No, supporting Manchester United or Arsenal or Barcelona or any other team will not do.
4. Do you have a nickname which is a member of the infinite set of Bengali nicknames like Babu, Bumba, Tatan, Papai, Rumpa, Piu, Riya, Rana etc.?
5. You have to believe that Sourav Ganguly is the best Indian cricket captain ever. Non-believers may say otherwise but at their own risk.
6. Boys and girls, you have to wear pajama-punjabi / dhuti-panjabi and sari respectively on festive occasions.
7. Have you ever tried to write poetry or sing a song or tried your hand at drama or painting or in any other form of art?
8. You have to love food, be it Biriyani or Posto bata and be open to try new recipes.
9. You should speak weird Hindi.
10. You should have an opinion on politics.
11. You have to read books, especially the works of some of the finest wordsmiths like Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, Bibhuti Bhushan Bandyopadhyay, Manik Bandyopadhyay, Sunil Gangopadhyay, Shakti Chattopadhyay, Joy Goswami etc.
12. Last but not the least, you have to master the art of procrastination.
1. Do you love the "Rasogolla"? If you don't, then sorry my dear friend, your application for being called a Bengali will be summarily rejected. This is the first criterion that you have to satisfy.
2. You have to love Rabindra Sangeet. Period.
3. You have to support either East Bengal or Mohun Bagan and you have to argue vehemently that your team is the best. No, supporting Manchester United or Arsenal or Barcelona or any other team will not do.
4. Do you have a nickname which is a member of the infinite set of Bengali nicknames like Babu, Bumba, Tatan, Papai, Rumpa, Piu, Riya, Rana etc.?
5. You have to believe that Sourav Ganguly is the best Indian cricket captain ever. Non-believers may say otherwise but at their own risk.
6. Boys and girls, you have to wear pajama-punjabi / dhuti-panjabi and sari respectively on festive occasions.
7. Have you ever tried to write poetry or sing a song or tried your hand at drama or painting or in any other form of art?
8. You have to love food, be it Biriyani or Posto bata and be open to try new recipes.
9. You should speak weird Hindi.
10. You should have an opinion on politics.
11. You have to read books, especially the works of some of the finest wordsmiths like Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, Bibhuti Bhushan Bandyopadhyay, Manik Bandyopadhyay, Sunil Gangopadhyay, Shakti Chattopadhyay, Joy Goswami etc.
12. Last but not the least, you have to master the art of procrastination.
