Ilish is not just a fish to Bengali people, it's an emotion to us. Ilish Mach Bhaja (fried Hilsa), Ilish Bhaja tel (oil from fried fish) ladened steamed rice; flavoured with kancha lonka (green chili) as lunch platter is the ultimate goal of the Bong-life on a monsoon afternoon. And the 'Bhat-ghum' afterwards is inevitable.