Jamaishashti is celebrated on the sixth tithi of the Shukla side of Jaishta month. Among other customs, there are differences in the observance of Shashti in Bengal. In the case of Shashti Upasan, the name of puja dali in Bengali houses is Mutha and the name of puja dali in Ghati houses is Bata.
Bengalis call the thread dipped in turmeric and mustard oil as bana, but in Ghati house, the word bana is not so popular. According to the rules of Ghati house, after breaking the fast on the sixth day, everyone eats vegetarian food. A thick latex coating is eaten on dry roasted rinds with ripe mangoes.
In terms of rules and regulations, the Jamaishashti feast is organized in the Ghati house on another day. Jamai Sasthi is incomplete without Bhojan. Now the rules have changed a lot. Earlier, eating meat was prohibited in Jamaishashti ceremony. But fish was on the list because in Hinduism fish is a symbol of Mars. Therefore fish is preferred over meat in Ghati houses for auspicious work.
At the famous Mallick house in Kolkata, Jamaishashti’s feast does not have meat, instead it has free movement of topse pona shrimp. Mango litchi and palm rinds give a creamy accompaniment to the last leaf.
Jamaishashti arrangements in Raja Krishnachandra’s family were legendary. Here the son-in-laws were welcomed with lavish gifts, and the sons-in-law did not go short in style. Rishikesh Mukhopadhyay, the husband of Annapurna Devi, the daughter of one of the chiefs of this family, was the king of Vainchi. He would not be able to eat without burning his mouth with various spices. His water bottle was studded with golden cloves. After every drink, he would throw the clove out of the drink. The younger members of the royal family used to collect the golden cloves lying around.
There is variation in the custom of celebrating Jamai Sasthi. The Barishali family was no exception to this custom, depending on the district. Because Jamaishashti was not practiced in Barisal district. As a result, Barisal’s sons-in-law used to be deprived of the care of their mother-in-law. But there was no restriction on eating. In order to deceive the son-in-law, some of the Banedi family had made the Surya Modak of Hooghly in Ginni’s farm with water-filled palm shells. The son-in-law who took a bite of the new sweet got his face drenched in dark juice. Son-in-law is the ultimate luxury for the sons-in-law of Bengal.
This year Jamaishashti 10th Jaishtha 1430 (Bangla) 25th May (English) Thursday. Sasthi Thithi starts at 3:28 PM on 10th Jaistha 1430. Sasthi Thithi ends at 5:26 PM on 11th Jaishtha 1430.