Skyrocketing fruits, vegetable, fish and meat prices burnt a hole in the pockets of the Bengalis forcing them to opt for a muted celebration of “Jamai Shasthi,” this year.

Soaring prices of Hilsa and prawns, without which the traditional delicacies served to the son-in-laws are incomplete, pinched the middle-class Bengalis hard.

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The prices of the state’s favourite fish- Hilsa ranged between rupees 1400 to 1700 in several city markets while prawns were sold for rupees 600 to 750.

The sellers attributed the unabated price to the shortage in supply and huge demand during the festival.

The festival was celebrated today only a day after the lifting of the 61 days’ annual fishing ban from 15 April to 14 June.

Fishermen were allowed to take their trawlers to the sea with trawlers only from June 15 which created a huge shortage in supply of the silver fish before Jamai Sasthi, according to sellers.

Like Hilsa, prices of mutton and chicken also touched the sky today. Mutton was being sold at prices ranging between 850 to 950 while chicken crossed rupees 200 in many local markets.

Prices of vegetables and fruits also became worrisome for the middle class during this year’s Jamai Shasthi.

Vegetable and fruit vendors blamed the soaring fuel prices resulting in higher transportation costs that affected the prices.

As online food delivery is the only option for gastronomes during suspension of public transport including buses and metro, these platforms made the most of the situation and went on an overdrive to woo the customers with lucrative special discounts.

On the other hand, online food delivery system became the choicest option for some of the mother-in-laws who put their best efforts to please their son-inlaw without feeling the burden of the soaring prices.

“Instead of buying and cooking at home, I ordered select dishes online for my daughter and son-in-law and it was not even burdensome to our limited budget,” claimed Sonali Guha, a retired school teacher.

“Cooking at home would mean more expenses as the preparations would have to be carried out at a large scale. With limited income during the lockdown, my husband and I decided to go for muted celebrations and order fewer dishes this time,” said Nabanita Das, a homemaker from Jadavpur.