The Bengali Festival of Hindu Community ‘Jamai Sashti 2016’-June 10 (Friday)

 Hello beautiful readers of www.charanamritdotcom.blogspot.in, we know that our country, India is a culturally rich land. Various amazing festivals are celebrated here by the citizens about which we have not heard before. The Hindu festival “Jamai Sashti” is one of them, which is celebrated in Kolkata. This festival is a symbol of special bonding between son-in-law and in-laws. The festival Jamai Sashti is originated many years ago as a part of women’s social-religious duty. According to Hindu custom, the son-in-law is known as “Jamai” and “Sashti” means sixth, that’s why the festival Jamai Sashti is observed on the sixth day of the Shukla Paksha in Jyeshtha month of Hindu calendar.

This popular social and traditional festival lays foundation of a strong family bonding. In whole West Bengal, all the son-in-laws or “Damads” get a treat or party from his in-laws or “Sashurs”. This custom is very old according to which a party is organized by in-laws for their daughters and her husbands.

On the occasion of this festival, mother-in-laws cook special dishes and invite their daughters and sons-in-law to honor them with a feast. This dish mainly consists the Hilsa Fish which is a delicious Bengali dish. The sons-in-law are welcomed by their in-laws in the traditional manner with a “Phota” of curd on his forehead and a yellow thread is tied on the right hand wrist. The thread is colored yellow with turmeric and is called “Sashti Suto” which have the blessings of Maa Sashti. The sons-in-law get gifts, sweets and fruits from mother-in-laws and sons-in-law give also gifts to mother-in-laws as return gifts. After that, mother-in-law performs the ritual in which a plate with six fruits is touched with the Jamai’s forehead.

On the other hand, the day is observed as Aranya Sashti in some other regions. The ritual behind this festival is that the son-in-law will be closer to the in-law family. Thus, it is symbolized as unite between two families. As we know that Bengalis are famous for their love for food. After performing all rituals, a small feast is organized. The guests are then served Bengali dishes mainly fish delicacies, prawn malaikari and the most famous Bengali sweet ‘Sandesh’ are a must. The mother-in-law fanned her son-in-law with a palm leaf hand made fan while he gorges on his food.

The son-in-laws are the main attraction of everybody on this day. He thoroughly enjoys and loves the attention he gets from his in-laws.

The film actor Amitabh Bachchan got gifts from his mother-in-law on the occasion of Jamai Sashti in 2014.