8 Misconceptions About Bengalis

Bengalis are always been considered as one of the most refined people all over the world. They are very culturally rich, socially aware. Kolkata is not only standing as the testimony of Indian history, but the people from Bengal have secured their place in Indian history in social, political, and literary culture as well. There remain some misconceptions about Bengalis 

Bengalis only eat fish

It is a tendency to continue with ages that Bengalis eat fish only. But it is now right. Though most of the Bengalis take fish as a preference they are also admirers of meat production and other food habits. It is also true not every Bengalis not even eat fish as they do not like to.

All Bengalis are from Kolkata

Kolkata is the heart of Bengal but not all Bengalis hail from Kolkata. Many Bengali comes from Tripura, Assam as well. There are many non-Bengalis stays in Kolkata. 

Fond of rice 

There’s a misconception that all Bengalis are very fond of rice. But this is not true. Though their food habit includes rice at least once in a day, especially in lunch. But it differs from person to person, not all of them like to have rice.

The only desert is rosogolla

There are a variety of sweets found in Bengal. Bengalis prefer different kinds of sweets. Rosogolla is not their only dessert to have. Like there are plenty of sweets, pantua, mowa, sondesh, etc.

They greet saying “ami tomake valobasi”

“Ami tomake valobasi” means “I love you”. It never happens in any culture that when they meet to a person, greet saying I love you. Same goes for Bengalis as well. They have different ways of greeting. Though each time we learn about a language we decipher the meaning of “I love you” first. But it doesn’t imply the fact that they greet saying I love you. Bengalis say “nomoshkar” or wish good day saying “subho shokal” and so on. Moreover, Bengalis also use English in their language habit.

Bengali girls wear red-bordered white saree

Red bordered white saree is not the only category of saree Bengalis wear. Mostly in Bijoya, all girls wear the saree. But there are plenty of designs of sarees and types of wearing methods Bengalis follows. They are very delicate in the style sense. Many people resemble Bengali girls with bindi, Kajol, big eyes. But these all seem very cliche.

Bengalis only listen to Rabindra Sangeet

People from outside of Bengal think Bengalis only listen to Rabindra sangeet and immense inclined to literature. Bengalis possess a habit of the reading book like any other people from different cultures. but what they do not know or understand that not all Bengalis are bookworms and they do patronize other genres as well. India’s first rock culture was started in the ’70s with the Bengali band Moheener Ghoraguli.

All Bengalis are pro politics 

Though in the independence era Bengal was the core to stimulate the freedom movement. All the Bengalis do not possess the legacy to involve themselves in active politics. Being a part of the democratic country no one claims themselves apolitical because we all the part of the building government. Many Bengalis are true quite a bit knowledgeable about politics and political history. But not all are interested in that.

There remain many misconceptions about look, culture, social, religious preferences about a community. But every culture exists with diversity and exceptions. So, generalizing the stereotypical thoughts are nothing more than a myth.