You go to any wedding now and you are most likely to find a snack counter with at least 20 kinds of snacks, in addition to a live pasta, dosa, pizza counter, and a whole arena dedicated to main course comprising several dishes with unpronounceable names. The ‘Big fat Indian weddings’ are also notorious for tonnes of food wastage, which is why many conscientious individuals are opting for a much private affair. And while you may like to think it is a novelty of sorts, may we remind you that, that is how most weddings in India were taking place up until the nineties. This menu card from Bengali wedding reception from back in June, 1990 is proof.
A twitter user shared her parents’ wedding reception’s menu card and the twitterati are having a tough time keeping calm ever since. “Omg my cousin found my parents' wedding reception menu card (sic),” wrote @SadMandalorian in her caption. The image was essentially a list of simple food items that you normally associate with a Bengali get-together. Radhaballavi, Daum Aloo, Vegetable Cutlet, Vegetable Fried Rice, Fish Butter Fry, Chilli Fish, Motor Panir, Chicken Rezala, Chutney, Papad, Kamalabhog, Sandesh and Ice Cream were some of the dishes of the menu.
The post generated many interesting reactions, most of which were replete with nostalgia.
“The only reason why I wanna hop on in that time machine”, wrote @awhetuk
“This is from pre-buffet days.” wrote another nostalgic user @asu1yk
“This is GOLD!”, read another emphatic proclamation by @cricketpun_duh
Wedding catering is inarguably one of the biggest industries of the country right now, but back in the day it was very common to employ local cooks and caterers to make food for the wedding the user also explained how buffets are big in Bengal, but in the sit-down dinner culture these small menus are still handed out.