After being married to actor Karan Singh Grover for seven years, actress Bipasha Basu is entering a new phase of her life. She is going to be a mother soon, and had an intimate ‘Shaadh’ or Bengali ‘baby shower’ at her place recently. She was joined by her husband and was seated next to a giant spread prepared by her mother, consisting of some of her most favourite foods of all times.
Clad in a traditional pink saree, Bipasha chomped on rice, aloo bhaja (potato fritters), potol bhaja (pointed gourd fritters), dal, mangsho (chicken curry), chorchori, chutney, and more. As Bipasha feasted to her heart’s content, Karan made a video of her, and even asked for a bite. “It’s my Shaadh. My mommy has made my favourite dishes and I am going to eat them all and my baby’s gonna eat with me”, said Bipasha.
“Look at this gorgeous food. Sharing is caring”, said Karan. To which Bipasha responded, “You are gonna get food after I eat”. Later in the day, Bipasha also posted many pictures from the ceremony. But what is a Shaadh, and what is the significance of this ritual?
Shaadh is a traditional Bengali baby shower or ‘Godh Bharai’. The word ‘Shaadh’ literally translates to flavour or taste, so now you know the role food plays in this special ritual. Shaadh is typically celebrated in the seventh or ninth month of pregnancy. The mother-to-be is gifted new saris, jewellery, etc. A special feast is also cooked by her mother or mother-in-law.
Here’s an interesting fact about Shaadh: back in the day, women had to do all household chores even during their pregnancy, which is why a day was picked out to pamper them and feed them with their favourite foods. The spread used to be and is still lavish - filled with rice, curries, fries, meat, and fish preparations.
Many games are also played during the ritual, like the challenge of finishing the entire mound of rice, etc. The mother-to-be is given blessings by elders and other women for a happy and healthy delivery of the baby.