There are thirteen festivals in the twelve months of Bengali calendar, and if there is any fish at the center of those festivals, it is undoubtedly our national fish, Hilsa. Buying Hilsa is not just a simple market activity. This is a true Bengali festival and emotion. Today, when I went to the market, I encountered a similar experience, which I couldn't help but capture in the camera frame. The silvery, sparkling hilsa that you see in the picture are covered in ice. These are the biggest achievements of my market today. As soon as I entered the market, the familiar and captivating aroma of hilsa hit my nose. The joy of going to the fish market during the hilsa season is different. All around, there is only the shouting of sellers and the bargaining of buyers. Crowds overflowing at each fish shop. Everyone's eyes are on the shiny silver hilsa. Identifying good hilsa and buying it at the right price is quite an art.
After much searching, I went to a fishmonger and my eyes fell upon a shiny, fresh hilsa fish, just as you can see in the picture, lying on a bed of white ice, piled on blue polythene. The silvery body of the hilsa seemed to stand out among the ice cubes. We haggled with the seller for a while. Half of the joy of buying hilsa for Bengalis lies in this haggling. Finally, I packed a bag of hilsa to my heart's content. The feeling of returning home with hilsa in my hand is different. It feels like I'm returning home victorious from a battle. Everyone's faces were wide with smiles as they stepped into the house. Now all they had to do was decide whether they wanted to have a light, black cumin-green chili-infused soup or a mustard-based hilsa paturi for lunch. The taste and smell of hilsa can instantly transform any ordinary day into a festive one. This is the true happiness of Bengalis.
꧁༺Photography Details ༻꧂
| Camera used | Smartphone |
|---|---|
| Mobile | Realme-9 |
| Location | Bangladesh |
Posted Using INLEO
