This piece is strictly for those with a Sweet Tooth and an unending love of sweets. So let’s play a Sweet Game of Love.
But first, what is ‘FAS-sing’? What is West Bengal now, was once part of the Gaur Kingdom. The name ‘Gaur’ is supposed to have been derived from Gur’, meaning ‘jaggery/ unrefined sugar’. The region had the seas, rivers and water bodies. So, the most popular food was Fish. As a medieval kingdom, a Sultanate, under the Moghuls and under the British, Bengal flourished and prospered. Kolkata – the Calcutta – became a very important city and the capital of India. It was a hub of power, commerce and industry, culture and intellectual discourse. A popular method/location of exchange of ideas was what is called an “Adda’. Even though, initially, this region had very simple traditions of sweets, with time – especially during the 19th century – Sweets came to occupy a very important place in the Bengali way of life. Not only were the Sweets a passion of the people at large, but also symbols of hospitality and status, as also mandatory essentials not only in everyday eating but also in all rituals from Birth to Death.
So ‘FAS’ has been coined to denote ‘Fish-Adda-Sweets’, and ‘FAS-sing’ is talking about any or all three of these. In this piece, we shall talk only of Bengali Sweets.
True that Joynagar’s Moa and Burdwan’s Sitabhog and Mihidana have been accorded official fame, but there are many other distinctive sweets. These sweets may be available all over West Bengal, but they are associated with certain places of origin.
So, on to our Magical Mystery Tour. I will give you the names of some sweets and the places they are associated with. You will have to find out the details of the sweets and the mentioned locations with which these sweets are associated. Hopefully, if you are interested/passionate enough, at some time or the other, you will travel to these locations to enjoy these sweets.
Read? Let’s go
Sweet Place
Lyangcha/Langcha – Shaktigarh.
Shor Bhaja – Krishnanagar.
Shor Puria – Krishnanagar.
Sarataki – Krishnanagr.
Dedomonda – Nadia Didtrict.
Pantua – Ranaghat, Jngipara.
Nikhuti – Shantipur.
Channar Jilapi – Muragacha.
Channarbora – Murshidabad.
Mohanbhog – Murshidabad – Malda.
Rasakadamba – Malda.
Khaja – Malda
Monohora – Janai.
Khaichur – Dhaniakhali
Sandesh – Guptipara
Gunpho Sandesh – Srirampur.
Jilapi – Kamarpur.
Karakanda – Khanakul.
Rasakara – Gaurhati
Motichur – Bishnupur.
Jolbhora Sandesh – Chandannagore.
Lal Doi – Nabadwip.
Aamer Morobba – Siuri (Birbhum).
The above are but some of the Sweet Treasures of West Bengal. Should you look deeper in the matter, you may discover more delights. But, beware, these are changing times. You might find it difficult to even come across all the above sweets in places famous for them. The reasons could be the disappearance of skilled makers or changed tastes. But do try your luck. You are bound to get some soul-satisfying rewards.