The subtle politics of a wedding menu

Vegetarians are an afterthought in the Bengali wedding menu discussion. The discussions so far have revolved around a heated battle between fish and meat - one or two of each? Fried, gravy, steam or dry? Mustard seasoning or curd marinated? Age and gender play a major role here I realized, with elder males (with a record of uric acid and other lifestyle ailment afflictions) dominating the discussion with nostalgic memories of "kosha mangsho" cooked in pure ghee and topped with garam masala. Fish being the more delicate of the two featured amongst the female relatives eyes glistening with fond memories of weddings and gatherings in a bygone era when grandmothers took the lead in supervising the cooking and relatives helped out in serving the hot food on banana leaves. There is an audible disdain for "outside catering" in the air - "not quite authentic" is the claim as elderly relatives amble their way into the recesses of their memories. Amidst the heated debate, the weak voices of the sole champions for the vegetarian fare get royally snubbed, ignored and often ridiculed. The menu after many iterations, debates and three rounds of pre-tasting was finally approved and signed off. The rest is now in the able hands of 6 Ballygunj Place. I do not doubt however, that the bride and the groom will hardly be tasting any of the sumptuous feast after having fasted the entire day! Food will be the last thought on our minds.