Dhaka weekend goals: Birds, fritters, and campus life at JU
In a thicket of Mahagony, Segun, and Raintrees, the Jahangirnagar University (JU) campus is a rolling 697.56 acres of topographical beauty. A few kilometres from the main city on the Dhaka-Aricha highway, the JU campus can be your next weekend outing.
1w ago
Shinni: A ‘new-age’ twist on Bangladeshi communal healing
My grandmother, whom I fondly called Bubu, used to bring us batashas -- a sugar candy -- from her visits to her homeland in Pirojpur, Barishal. She would tell us it was a tabarak or shinni, which is a sweet gift or grace from her visits to Holy places.
2w ago
Pickles, memories and November’s magic
November in the tropics has its own weather mix. From a storm brewing at the Bay to roaring gusty wind, to a scorching sunny day, dewy evening, and foggy dawn -- Dhaka’s weather in this month cannot be explained.
2w ago
Why wait for winter? Dive into Dhaka’s dazzling duck delights!
It is duck season, period. Even if winter is nowhere to be seen or felt, the local kitchen markets are quacking up a fat duck show to tease our cravings.
1m ago
More than just pink: it’s about saving lives
Pink is often considered the colour that defines femininity. Thus, in October, which marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a pink ribbon is often used to raise awareness about breast cancer. This practice has been in place since the 90s.
1m ago
From earth to elegance: The allure of artisanal terracotta
A charcoal black druid’s bowl with a rough and aged look, caught my attention while surfing social media. Initially, I thought it must be an antique piece of medieval pottery up for sale on some transcontinental site, but instead, I found it to be a local product from the brand Boho Bangladesh, promoting a sustainable natural lifestyle; it blew my mind.
1m ago
Sharat Ritu: The perfect excuse for a lotus pond boat ride
What is the best thing about Sharat, you ask? For me, it is the change in the city’s breeze, in the soft, golden rays of the sun, and yes, the clear azure sky, with floating white fluffy clouds.
1m ago
Planter shopping: The quest for the perfect terracotta pot
For the gardeners of urban Dhaka, it’s time to prepare for winter flowers. One might say it’s too early, but October is when you need to prune your roses and feed them with compost, besides preparing beds and soil for other winter blooms.
1m ago
December 12, 2022
The charm of gold jewellery
Jewellery, especially the ones given at weddings, hold special meanings in their intricate designs. Each piece has its own story to tell. The olden ‘tikli’ (the forehead pendant that had the star and moon designs carved up in red rubies and whitish yellow ‘pukhraj’ or yellow sapphire stones) promotes prosperity, wealth, and marital bliss. The lover’s knot or ‘prem fash’ designed chain holds its meaning in the name. ‘Prem’ in Bengali is love, and ‘fash’ means a grip, so as the name suggests, it is a lover’s grip, a treasured design construed in a bangle or chain given to the beloved as a wedding-night gift.
November 21, 2022
Kebabs, soups, momos and more: Welcome to the bustling street food scene of Mohammadpur
Each street popular for its food has a story to tell. From the narrow lanes of Old Dhaka, the bustling Taltola or Banani 11, to Uttara — they all have their flavour for us to relish. Each experience is richer than the next one but hands down, it's time to re-discover Mohammadpur's street food this winter, for its warmth and vivacity.
November 7, 2022
Upcycling furniture is a cool concept
Upcycling is the act of taking something no longer in use and giving it a second life and new function. In doing so, the finished product often becomes more practical, valuable, and beautiful than it previously was. While recycling involves the destruction of waste in order to create something new, upcycling creates something new from it in its current state.
November 7, 2022
Outfit repeating is fashionably trending
Unfortunately, the clothing industry has drilled this idea into our heads that the biggest fashion crime you can commit is to repeat your clothes. It is time to undo and ditch that unsustainable idea promoted by advocates of fast fashion.
November 6, 2022
The best tea spots you can find
Teas are a joy, be it chamomile, Earl Grey, Makaibari or just good old deshi milk tea. A light sip of hot black tea with a slight squeeze of lemon or brewed heavily in cardamoms and cloves, or frothy milk tea; it makes you happy and keeps you going. So, with the advent of chilly evenings and misty midnights, go for your favourite warm fuzzy brew to add a little liveliness to your day’s itinerary.
September 19, 2022
5 delicious ilish recipes you must try
The ilish is a versatile fish as it can be used to prepare a variety of dishes. Hilsa is as suitable for preparing delectable dishes on those special occasions, as it is for cooking a regular everyday curry. The hilsa season is almost coming to an end. Now is the time to get your fresh ilish from the bazaars of Chandpur and Mawa. The following are some easy to make recipes with hilsa. Try them out and you will not be disappointed!
August 28, 2022
The Vogue Behind Loose and Flowy Dresses
Modest and fashion might be two words seldom put together, but changing global perspectives made its popularity a reality. It is by no means a new idea, as people, and women, who preferred to dress modestly have always been around, but the idea to cater to this growing population specifically is only just catching on. Some choose it to comply with religious practices, others for simple personal preference; however, modest fashion is not about the hijab or headscarf alone. It relates to anyone who is partial to loose, flowy clothes, often in multiple layers, like capes, wraps and loose jackets, with the intention of not displaying the shape of their bodies prominently.
July 25, 2022
6 mango desserts that you must try this summer
The real joy of eating a mango is peeling off the skin and eating it right away, with delicious juice runs down your hand; it might be offensive to many, but a true Bengali would love to eat it that way. However, the civilised way to eat a mango would be to slice it into pieces and have the pulp with a fork. Now that the season is over and we have satiated most of those cravings, we can safely shift our attention to chilled sweet mango desserts for this scorching summer. Mangoes are high in calories; hence, everyone will ask you to keep your mango count in check. But, if you pair it with cool foods like yoghurt, you can have that extra one too. So, no reason to stop the mango binge.
July 24, 2022
How it feels when you can’t finish reading a book
As I have grown older, my mind is calmer but it’s a void now, empty of any voice.
June 30, 2022
Cheragali Ceramics Market
Imagine a Doza Market or Bongo Bazar but for ceramics only. If you cross Uttara and drive towards Tongi and Gazipur, you will shortly reach a turn which takes you to Cheragali Ceramics Market tucked inside a dusty, debris piled corner. The narrow alley takes you to the treasure troves.
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