The "hilsa" approach to life

The hilsa fish (similar to a shard or herring) is a much loved fish in South Asia and some parts of the Middle East. It is by far the most sought after fish in Bangladesh and the eastern and north-eastern parts of India. Its soft, oily texture, mouth-watering flavour and nice mouthfeel make it a delicacy worth the title of “Macher Raja” (The King Of Fish). The story goes that Lenin liked the fish so much, he chose the Bengali name as his middle name (though he mangled the spelling), and that's why the comradeship is so strong in Bengal!

However, the path to hilsa-led gustatory satisfaction is thorny – the fish has many sharp and tough bones, which require the eater to pick his way through the dish, or risk injuring his mouth or, worse, swallowing a bone or two. But a willingness to persevere and to navigate through the mine-field of bones helps the eater to reach his goal – a nirvana of taste, a glorious end to a meal that will be remembered!

If you prefer boneless fish in your meal and avoid the hilsa, you will still reach The End (of the meal) but it will be a meal devoid of meaning, of flavour. Your belly may not forgive you.

You can have the hilsa deboned before eating – this is offered in some high-end restaurants, so naturally you have to fork out a few more pennies. You get the taste without the effort, which is no good.

This sounds similar to life – the path to nirvana (or bliss, happiness, satisfaction, whatever you want to call it) should not be smooth.  It should be filled with the sharp and tough bones of the travails, pains and difficulties that must be overcome to reach your ultimate goal. Only then will you savour the feeling of having fought the good fight and coming out victorious!

Similarly, you can take the Boneless Path - a steady, dull life without any obstacles. You will still reach the end, but the journey will be grey, ordinary and without beauty.

You can also get someone to debone your life, to remove real and perceived obstacles and to help you navigate the path to happiness. But this comes at a cost and gives no joy of achievement.

So would you rather plunge into the hilsa, avoid the hilsa, or get into deboned hilsa? Your answer will determine how you live your life!