27 Aug 2015, 11:30 am
It was not about eating a meal. Or sampling a culinary spread. It was instead a walk down memory lane.
Before the food arrived, we dug into the history of the Sheherwalis. About 400 years ago, when Bengal was still under the Nawabs and Murshidabad was the capital, the Europeans discovered the fine textiles of Bengal, especially silk.
With the passage of time, the Sheherwali community absorbed many things from the cultures that existed around them, especially the Nawabi, the Bengali and the European cultures. The stately homes and palaces displayed European architecture and décor. Some of these stately homes are being renovated for public viewing.
The cuisine adopted several finer nuances of Nawabi and Bengali cuisine. Use of the typical Bengali spice, ‘panch phoron’, and the Mughal manner of using saffron and rosewater influenced the culinary style.
Like many other communities, the Sheherwali community of Murshidabad is also on the wane. The younger generation has been settling across the globe and marrying into the broader Rajasthani community. The past-paced lifestyle does not permit the lavish preparation and consumption of meals.
(Writing and images by Sanjoy Ganguly)
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