The Bengalees are lovers of good food ..Though the Bengalees are often considered as " petroga "(one who has less digestion power) but they love to enjoy BHOJ ( a big meal ) In Bengali a person who appreciates food is described as "KHADYA ROSIK".They not only appreciate good food but love to eat .Here one may raise a question - what should be considered as good food ?
In old days a common meal of any Jaminder family used to look like a BHOJ as that included as many as twenty to thirty or more than that number of items of food to indicate the aristocracy .You may think of a Buffet party for instance.But there are differences too. It lies in the social attitude of different cultures.
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Bhoj may be arranged in different occasions whenever others are invited. On the occasion of JAMAISASTHI new mothers-in-law arrange special BHOJ for their new sons-in-law.During DURGAPUJA ,the greatest festival of the Bengalees, there is bhoj in almost all the houses as on that occasion whole BENGAL gathers together with full zeal and enthusiasm.In a nutshell whenever it is an occasion of family gathering and everyone is full of mirth BHOJ is arranged to mark the ceremony.
At present besides special gatherings or festivals BHOJ has become rare .Only the Sunday lunch menu sometimes gives a reflection of a big meal named BHOJ.
I must confess here if anyone is thinking in terms of healthy food, Bengali food might not always be cooked like that.' Rasana 'or taste always haunts food of Bengal.It is the first priority Famous Bengali poet SRI SUKUMAR RAY has described this typicality of Bengali food habit very nicely in his poem KHAI KHAI.
খাই খাই করো কেন ,এসো বসো আহারে -
খাওয়ার আজব খাওয়া ভোজ কয় যাহারেIf one always wants to eat food ,then his habit of always hankering after food is described as 'khai khai kora' .So the poet has described it very aptly ....if one simply hankers after food one will never understand the taste of Bengali food properly ....Please come and sit to enjoy a big meal .That is 'BHOJ'.When it is a bhoj it includes many items.there are four categories of food eating -Charbyo (which is chewed ) Chosyo(which is sucked) Lejhyo (which is licked ) and Peyo (which is drunk).In a BHOJ such foods must be included so that all these four types of eating habits are needed .
In old days a common meal of any Jaminder family used to look like a BHOJ as that included as many as twenty to thirty or more than that number of items of food to indicate the aristocracy .You may think of a Buffet party for instance.But there are differences too. It lies in the social attitude of different cultures.
.
Bhoj may be arranged in different occasions whenever others are invited. On the occasion of JAMAISASTHI new mothers-in-law arrange special BHOJ for their new sons-in-law.During DURGAPUJA ,the greatest festival of the Bengalees, there is bhoj in almost all the houses as on that occasion whole BENGAL gathers together with full zeal and enthusiasm.In a nutshell whenever it is an occasion of family gathering and everyone is full of mirth BHOJ is arranged to mark the ceremony.
At present besides special gatherings or festivals BHOJ has become rare .Only the Sunday lunch menu sometimes gives a reflection of a big meal named BHOJ.
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