Jamai Sasthi 2024 - Saturday, Jun 08

India is a culturally rich land. Many amazing festivals are celebrated here of which the citizens have not even heard about. A beautiful festival called ‘Jamai Shasti’ is celebrated in Kolkata which displays beautiful bonding of son-in-law with his in-laws. The traditional festival of Jamaishasthi originated ages ago as a part of a women s socio-religious duty.

Jamai Sasthi is a traditional Bengali festival dedicated to celebrating the bond between mothers-in-law and sons-in-law. It is marked with various rituals, feasts, and cultural activities. The festival is celebrated on the sixth day of the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of the moon) in the Bengali month of Jyestha, which usually falls in late May or early June.

India is a culturally rich land. The traditional festival of Jamaishasthi originated ages ago as a part of a women s socio-religious duty. The son-in-law is called Jamai and Shasti means sixth, thus the festival is observed on sixth day of shukla paksh in Jyestha month of traditional Hindu calendar.

This popular social custom lays foundation of a strong family bonding. All the son-in-laws get a treat from his in-laws or Shoshur bari . The day is celebrated since older days by the Hindu families all over West Bengal. A party is organized the in-laws for their daughter and her husband.

Customs and Rituals of Jamai Sasthi

1. Preparation for the Festival

• Cleaning the Home: Families clean and decorate their homes in preparation for the festival, creating a welcoming environment for the son-in-law.
• Buying New Clothes: It is customary for families to buy new clothes for the occasion, often with special attention given to traditional Bengali attire.

2. Rituals Performed

• Welcoming the Son-in-Law: The son-in-law is warmly welcomed into the home with a ceremonial aarti (ritual of waving a lighted lamp) and the application of a tilak (mark on the forehead).
• Feast and Offerings: A grand feast is prepared for the son-in-law, featuring a variety of traditional Bengali dishes. Special offerings are made to the deities for the son-in-law’s prosperity and well-being.

3. Traditional Games and Activities

• Playing Games: Traditional games and activities are often part of the celebrations, such as card games or board games.
• Cultural Performances: Some families organize cultural performances, including songs, dances, and recitations of traditional stories.

History of Jamai Sasthi

1. Origins and Mythology

• Mythological Roots: The festival is rooted in mythology and folklore, where it is believed that Goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva, celebrated a special day for her son-in-law, Lord Ganesha. This day is observed to honor the son-in-law and strengthen family bonds.
• Cultural Tradition: Over time, Jamai Sasthi has evolved into a celebration of the mother-in-law-son-in-law relationship, symbolizing respect and love within the family.

The day is observed as Aranya Sasthi in many other regions. The festival plays vital role in bringing the couple especially the son-in-law (Jamai) closer to the in-law family, thus helps in making family ties safe and sound. Bengalis are famous for their love for food. After performing the rituals a small feast is organized. Best and favourite delicacies of one’s son-in-law are prepared. The guests are then served exotic Bengali dishes. Various fish delicacies, prawn malaikari and the most famous Bengali sweet ‘Sandesh’ are a must. The mother-in-law fanned her son-in-law with a palm leaf while he gorges on his food.

Son-in-laws are the centre of everybody’s attention on the day. He thoroughly enjoys and loves the attention he is getting from his in-laws. The social activity was more intense in earlier times.

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