Sawan Datta is a architect turned singer-blogger and a chef.
Today is Bijoya Dashami and Bengalis are saying goodbye to Goddess Durga, even shedding a few tears. But a song blogger in Mumbai, a non-resident Bengali, has an online recipe to cheer them up. It's a song about a favourite Bengali snack: the spicy
Jhalmuri.
"
Jhal jhal jhal jhal jhalmuri," the music video kicks off vigourously. Sawan Datta, the architect turned singer-blogger and a chef, then goes on, "best snack in the world,
jhalmuri. Puffed rice, chop onion, chop chilli and coriander". All this, in perfect harmony with the
'dhaak' or drum beats.
Bengalis discovered this
"probashi" or non-resident creator of Bong songs with her Ode to Boroline, the green tube of cream most Bengalis swear by. The lyrics go like... "If you have got a boil on you bum, only put Boroline, just don't be dumb".
Then came DIY recipes for Bengali favourites, Macher Jhol (fish stew),
Kosha Mangsho (mutton curry) and
Shukto (slightly bitter mixed vegetables).
"Today our goal is to make
Macher Jhol. Good for my tummy and good for my soul... If you have
amasha or
ombol... have
macher jhol."
"I hadn't thought it would work. I just did the songs and people loved it. So I thought, can I do one more," she said. "I guess no one has put song and video and a food recipe together before."
A student still hopping pandals says, "
Jhalmuri you can eat all the time, it doesn't need an occasion." But her friend Rahul says, "On Bijoya Dashami, I'd rather have Sandesh".