Textiles , a Bengali cotton textile .
Muslin production in Bengal dates back to the 4th century BCE. The region exported the fabric to
Ancient Greece and
Rome. Bengali
silk was known as Ganges Silk in the 13th century
Republic of Venice.
Mughal Bengal was a major silk exporter. The Bengali silk industry declined after the growth of Japanese silk production.
Rajshahi silk continues to be produced in northern Bangladesh.
Murshidabad and
Malda are the centers of the silk industry in West Bengal. After the reopening of European trade with medieval India, Mughal Bengal became the world's foremost muslin exporter in the 17th century. Mughal-era Dhaka was a center of the worldwide muslin trade.
Mughal Bengal's most celebrated artistic tradition was the weaving of
Jamdani motifs on fine muslin, which is now classified by UNESCO as an
intangible cultural heritage. Jamdani motifs were similar to Iranian textile art (buta motifs) and Western textile art (
paisley). The Jamdani weavers in Dhaka received imperial patronage. Modern Bangladesh is one of the world's
largest textile producers, with a large cotton based
ready made garments industry.
Clothing clad in fine
Bengali muslin, 18th century. In rural areas, older women wear the
shari with
hijab while the younger generation wear the with hijab, both with simple designs. In urban areas, the ''
and the combination of niqab-
burqa-
chador is more popular, and has distinct fashionable designs. Islamic clothing is really common among Bengali Muslims. World Hijab Day is an annual event founded by a Bengali-American, Nazma Khan in 2013, taking place on 1 February each year. Traditionally urban Bengali men wore the jama, though costumes such as the panjabi
with or pyjama have become more popular within the past three centuries. The popularity of the , a shorter upper garment, is undeniable among Bengalis in casual environments. The and are a common combination for rural Bengali men. During special occasions, Bengali women commonly wear either shari
s, , covering their hair with hijab or ; and men wear a panjabi'', also covering their hair with a
tupi, , or .
Jama is the long, loose fitting, stitched garment of Bengali Women. Jama was originally worn by Bengali Women in the
Mughal court as a symbol of status and wealth. Over time, it has now been more widely adopted by women in other parts of
Bengal, including
Bangladesh. Jama may also fulfill some interpretations of
Islamic rules. Jama is similar to
dress. At Jorashanko (
Rabindranath Tagore's home in
Kolkata) different drapes of sari were improvised on so that women could step out of the andarmahal (inner house) where they were relegated. This had Tagore's sister-in-law,
Jnanadanandini Devi, bringing the
Parsi way of draping the sari from
Mumbai to Bengal.
Chitra Deb, in her book 'Thakurbarir Andarmahal', describes the entire process of how the Parsi sari was adapted into Bengali culture. Before Devi's invention, Bengali women used to wear sari without a blouse underneath and stay in "Andarmahal" to follow "
purdah", a concept of modesty bought by
Muslims native to Bengal and was followed by both Hindus and
Bengali Muslims.
Dhakai is another attire of women unique to
Bengal. There are several variations of
Shari (Bengali
Sari) such as
Jamdani,
Tant,
Muslin,
Tangail,
Kantha,
Rajshahi Silk, Dhakai reshom,
Baluchari etc. Bengali women also wear
Fotua,
Bengali Kurti and
Kapor which are also unique to
Bangladesh. Men wear
Gamucha, Panjabi,
Lungi,
Mujib Coat, Genji and Kaabli which are unique to the men of
Bangladesh. Bengal has produced several of South Asia's leading fashion designers, including
Sabyasachi Mukherjee,
Bibi Russell, Rukhsana Esrar Runi and Rina Latif.
Cuisine Rice is the staple food of Bengal.
Bhortas (lit-"mashed") are a really common type of food used as an additive too rice. there are several types of
Bhortas such as Ilish bhorta shutki bhorta, begoon bhorta and more. Fish and other seafood are also important because Bengal is a reverrine region. Some fishes like puti (Puntius species) are fermented. Fish curry is prepared with fish alone or in combination with vegetables.Shutki maach is made using the age-old method of preservation where the food item is dried in the sun and air, thus removing the water content. This allows for preservation that can make the fish last for months, even years in Bangladesh.
Bengali pickles are an integral part of Bengali cuisine, adding a burst of flavors to meals. These pickles are made by preserving various fruits, vegetables, and even fish or meat in a mixture of spices, oil, and vinegar or lemon juice, which is why pickles of Bangladesh are unique to the country. , one of the most famous food in Bengali culture Side Dishes or (Torkari) are commonly eaten with meals in Bengal which are cooked with special
Bengali spices. The main dish is almost always served with side dishes. Some typical Bengali dishes are
Shorshe Ilish,
Machher Jhol,
Kala bhuna,
Shutki Shira,
Bhorta,
Chingri Malaikari,
Daab Chingri, Katlar kaliya, Dal, Padar jhal, Ilish Pulao, Chingri Pulao, Rui Pulao,
Haji biryani, etc.
Bengali sweets like
Chomchom,
Rasmalai,
Mishti Doi,
Curd of Bogra, Muktagachhar monda,
Sandesh,
Roshogolla,
Chhanamukhi and
Pithas are even popular outside of
Bangladesh.
Shemai originally came from the
Bengali Muslim community, but most other Bengali sweets were invented by Hindu and Jain sweetmakers of Bengal. Shutki maach is made using the age-old method of preservation where the food item is dried in the sun and air, thus removing the water content. This allows for preservation that can make the fish last for months, even years in
Bangladesh.
Shorshe Ilish (top left),
Biryani of
Dhaka (top right),
Pitha (bottom)
Transport Kolkata is the only city in India to have a tram network. The trams are claimed to slow down other traffic, leading to groups who currently voice abolishing the trams, though the environment-friendliness and the old charm of the trams attract many people. Kolkata was also the first city in South Asia to have an
underground railway system that started operating from 1984. It is considered to have the status of a zonal railway. The metered-cabs are mostly of the brand "
Ambassador" manufactured by
Hindustan Motors (now out of production). These taxis are painted with yellow colour, symbolising the transport tradition of Kolkata. Bangladesh has the world's largest number of
cycle rickshaws. Its capital city Dhaka is known as the
Rickshaw Capital of the World. The country's rickshaws display colorful
rickshaw art, with each city and region have their own distinct style. Rickshaw driving provides employment for nearly a million Bangladeshis. Historically,
Kolkata has been home to the hand-
pulled rickshaw. Attempts to ban its use have largely failed. There are 150 different types of
boats and
canoes in Bengal. The region was renowned for
shipbuilding in the medieval period, when its shipyards catered to major powers in Eurasia, including the Mughals and
Ottomans. The types of timber used in boat making are from local woods Jarul (dipterocarpus turbinatus), sal (shorea robusta), sundari (heritiera fomes) and Burma teak (tectons grandis).
Weddings Bengali weddings includes many rituals and ceremonies that can span several days. Although
Muslim and
Hindu marriages have their distinctive religious rituals, there are many common secular rituals. The
Gaye Holud ceremony is held in Bengali weddings of all faiths. ==Cultural institutions, organisations and events==