"What? You are a Bong and don't like sweets much?" - This is the question I have to hear at almost every party, get-together and gathering. Of course my friends know this, but those meeting me for the first time end up with the usual stereotypical pre-conceived notion of a Bengali's love for sweets.?
Yes, I am a Bengali, but sweets are not my main craving. I do like having some from time to time, but it is far from an addiction and certainly not a must after a heavy meal. I know people who just need something sweet in their mouths after a hot meal or large dish is consumed. Sadly, when I do not end up being the typical Bong, by non-Bengali friends, and even a few Bengali ones tend to stare at me like am an alien from outer space.?
But no, this piece is not about Bengali stereotyping, nor is it about my eating preferences. This is related to the lockdown which has kept India still from March 25 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. So what's the relation between sweets and lockdown? For that we need to go towards east to the state of Bengal. Yes, the land of Rabindranath Tagore and rossogolla (rasgulla) is the place am talking about.?
In a recent development, Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee allowed sweet shops to stay open from 12 pm to 4 pm for people to but stuff after many in Kolkata in particular appealed to her to keep them open. In other words, Bongs and their sweets are two peas in a pod.?
At the risk of sounding stereotypical, I should tell you I am an exception. Most Bengalis love to eat sweets, if needed they can survive just on that. No am not exaggerating. So to ask the average Bengali not to eat sweets is like asking someone to commit blasphemy. Hence, it is understandable why Bengalis want the shops open. But the question is, is it wise? Or even necessary. Just for the record, I am not dissing my own kind here, nor am I questioning a Bengali's need to eat sweets. But is it worth risking it all to go out there to buy it??
Sweets can be made at home too if you have the necessary stuff. So it is not a compulsion to go out unless you really have no choice. My request to fellow Bongs is, ask yourself this? You want it yes, but do you absolutely need it??
Of course there will be enough to go on for and against the motion in this debate. It remains to be seen who chooses to do what. My job was just to put it out there, I am not taking sides. You be the judge. ??
We are in lockdown till April 14 as the death toll in India nears 50 with almost 2000 cases, Worldwide almost 50,000 people have died and over 900,000 are affected by the COVID-19 virus.