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
September 29, 2020
Happy Heart Day
A slight discomfort in the chest, and I immediately imagine an impending heart attack, not thinking twice that it could easily be some other ailment.
September 29, 2020
A heart of gold
Dr N A M Momenuzzaman, eminent cardiologist at United Hospital, might appear to be very austere and serious, but when you sit to chat with him, you will be proved wrong. The busy physician loves to play the flute, enjoys farming, and takes pleasure in holidaying with friends.
September 22, 2020
Global kitchens
Cosmopolitanism is all about accepting societal norms and cultures from many different countries and being open to different ideas and ways of doing things. From fashion to cuisine, it was been injected into our everyday lives, and truly enough that it has become a staple in our kitchen and experiments with all things food.
September 8, 2020
Subscribing to newspapers in the new normal
We saw our fathers and grandfathers reading newspapers while having their morning tea. Later, with us, we read the papers in the car on our way to work or during hurried breakfasts.
September 1, 2020
Normalising the new normal
For how long will I be doing office work plopped in some randomcorner of the house, the rooftop garden or the balcony? For how long will I have meetings in zoom, sitting in my living room?
August 25, 2020
Plants for interior décor
Plants brighten up our moods and help reduce stress and anxiety; the greens friends make us feel calmer and self-aligned.
August 18, 2020
A night at the InterContinental
So, all the painting, gardening, cooking, baking and other verbs ending in ‘ings’ that we did to keep ourselves happy and occupied during this lockdown have run dry. We are just tired of inventing ideas and taking up new hobbies to keep a check on our sanity; at least it holds true for me.
July 21, 2020
My lone battle
A part of my soul is dead, and the other half is dying a slow death. Amid such painful existence, how do I breathe every day and carry on with my duties each day? It’s a question I ask myself continuously.
July 7, 2020
Monsoon gardening tips
Monsoon is the season of beauty in Bangladesh. Everything around you is fresh, rain soaked, and green; even the polluted Dhaka air feels fresh. Our streets, our cityscape, rooftop gardens, the plants in the balconies — all beaming at their brightest.
June 16, 2020
My own Scarborough
I named my herb patch Scarborough Fair, not because I have parsley, rosemary and thyme, but amusingly every time my husband sees me working on the herb bed, he sings this song. And somehow, I grew fond of the lyrics.
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