One phrase every Bengali worth his sweater has grown up with is thanda lege jabey. It is the ultimate warning of impending doom, an unadulterated form of existentialist advice. Thanda lege jabey. Thou shalt ‘catch the cold’. ‘Catching the cold’ comes easy to Bengalis. It’s a skill that’s acquired almost immediately after birth.
Watch a Bengali baby and you would know. Wrapped in layers of warm clothing even if the sun is boiling the mercury, the baby learns quickly that his chances of survival in a Bengali household depend on how tightly he can wrap himself in cotton, linen and wool.
Bengalis have almost romanticised warm clothing, so much so that Bengali art has found eloquent __expression in a form of quilt-stitchwork called kantha. I’m sure wool-shearers even in faraway Australia say a silent prayer to Bengalis before the shearing season (if there’s any such season). I’m also sure the very thought of Bengalis sends a chill down the spine of many a sheep.
In winter, the quintessential Bengali’s outfit puts the polar bear to shame. Packaged in at least seven layers of clothing and the head snugly packed inside the queerest headgear, the monkey cap, he takes the chill head on. Easy lies the head that wears the monkey cap. With a pom-pom at the top, it’s not just a fashion statement; it’s a complete fashion paragraph.
I remember strolling down the Walk of Fame in Hollywood on a pleasant May evening. My eyes scanned the glittering stars on the asphalt – each an ode to a Hollywood heavyweight. Suddenly, my ears caught the unmistakable Doomsday warning – ‘thanda lege jabey’. I stood transfixed. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is probably the last place one would like to get caught ‘catching the cold’. I turned around. There was this Bengali family braving the American chill. The young brat of the family was adamant that he didn’t want any more clothing but mom wouldn’t have any of it – “sweater porey nao, thanda lege jabey.” I need not translate that. Mom won, and the family – sweaters et al – posed for a photograph.
For a race that is perpetually running scared of cold weather, Bengalis have a surprising affinity for hill stations. Probably, warmth of heart is best preserved in shawls, pullovers and cardigans. In an age when you are judged by how cool or uncool you are, the warmth that the kakus, jethus and mashimas exude can melt icebergs. I wouldn’t trade that warmth for any amount of cool. However, the monkeycap may look cool without the pom-pom.
very well written…beautiful narrative of a culture.
Jai Guru Dev,
Did you mean “unIte” in the title phrase?
No I meant ‘untie’ — its a pun yaar!
🙂
muhahahahhahahhaha…hilarious n so true! everytime i go to jsr (be it any season) m told on alternate days to wear proper clothing nai toh THANDA LEGE JABEY!! 😛 ;D
Found this link from Bawa’s site…
Hilarious post! had read this before, but enjoyed reading it again. Incidentally, I had received one more of these, regarding Bong ‘pet’ names…
Hahaha, Am i glad nobody’s around watching me read this… have been laughing to myself… its such a familiar phrase! I still remember a ferry ride between Bally (Howrah) and Cossipore on a hot November afternoon – we were surrounded by Bongs swathed in layers of warm clothes with confused / alarmed looks on their faces on seeing us dressed so inapproapriately for the afternoon sun!!
Jgd dada,Wish u a very HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Superb written.Spe the monkey cap part is hilarious.
Bhaiya, yeh muhahahahahah to mere mooh se bhi nikal raha hai…lo…..Muhahahahahaha…….Wonderful….humor at its best…! no offences pls….!
Happy New Year…!!!
rahul(noida)
Jai Gurudev! Vikramda!
Uproariously Hilarious! God, my sides are still aching from laughing…:) this reminded me of the time, when a surgeon ‘jamai babu’ (jijajee in Bangla) of mine visited Bombay during a November when temperatures were at pleasanly 28-29 degrees. Accompanied by my kaku – jijus’ concerned and over-protective dad, we stood helpless to see him – a reputed surgeon in his field fall prey to the ‘thanda lege jaabe – Khokon’ syndrome. Very lovingly kaku draped the woollen scarf over the woollen cardigan jiju wore, reprimandingly ignoring my sublte protests about the weather not being so cold. Would he need the monkey cap too he asked my dad and before dad could speak, kaku decided his ‘khokon’d rather put it on since he was travelling far – (Bandra to Churchgate by Bombay Local – 09.14 a.m.),. Thus attired, jiju left on his journey and when he returned home at night, all my doubts of him having thrown all his woollies into Mahim Creek from the steaming local, were put to rest – dear jamai babu was again suitably attired in his woollies – neck to toe – reason – the weather was much too cold in the night as well! Wasn’t it he asked. Of course, I chorused with the rest as Kaku looked in my direction with an expression that said, ‘Young lady, there’s a monkey toopi for you too when you set out tomorrow morning.’ Da, do posting these nostalgic posts on Bongs and Bangla, they’re really too good. Love them.
Love n regards, and A VERY HAPPY SMILING AND BOUNTIFUL NEW YEAR TO YOU AND TINA.
Sonia (Anuradha) [Remember Madagascar and then Inorbit with BnD :)]
So true, as soon as Kali pujo gets over, all the ma, jethimas, mashimas, kakimas, begin preparing for the winter, by sunning the lepps (quilts), kombols, kathas. Woolens too join in the sunning festival. Also the seasons first woolens in the form of sleeveless sweaters and thin mufflers start making appearance, then they are followed by the heavier ones and no to forget the monkey caps, Its not just thanda lege jaabe, ‘buke thanda boshe jaabe’, is also declared, so the chest and back region of the body has to be properly insulated.
– Show quoted text –
JAI Gurudev!!!
Extremely hilarious and ‘WARM’….in true Bangla spirit…
Happy new Year…Love and Regards
SHUBHRA
loved the post 🙂
uday
ahahahhaha! monkey caps! God only knows how my family survived being bangali without having ever worn one of those…!! Good one!
That was hilarious!