STARS LIGHT UP PRAN PREMIUM GHEE-ANANDADHARA PITHA FEST 2019

Md. Muniruzzaman,

Executive Director, Pran Dairy Limited

"Amidst the urbanization, our society has gradually forgotten the beauty of indulging in a part and parcel of traditional food culture of Bangladesh in the form of Pitha. Today, we prefer having a burger instead. Bangladesh has rich cultures and traditions, including the love for Pitha. And it is very disheartening to see that the love for an exquisite delicacy is fading away."

Mr. Asif Ahmed,

EAM & Director of Finance, Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel Dhaka

"This Pitha Fest is a very traditional festival. Pitha is an inseparable part of our culture. It is necessary to promote this among our new generation, as this will teach them about our culture. We need to promote Pitha among the new generation, and also give Pitha lovers a chance to enjoy themselves."

ANM Mahfuz, Head of Consumer Banking, Prime Bank Limited

"As a Bangladeshi, Pitha is entwined into our culture. As a bank, we want to stay involved in helping our culture flourish. We cannot forget our roots, and Pitha Fest really showcases our culture. I think this is also helping the new generation learn more about our heritage. It is our duty to educate them about our culture. Pitha Fest also showcased many other aspects of our culture like the Bioscope and folk music among others. This is helping the guests to learn more about our rich heritage."

Animesh Aich, Actor, director & writer

"I really enjoyed this festival! This brings me back to when I was young, I used to go to my village during the winters and indulge in variations of Pithas. Hence why I believe such events are necessary, as it reminds us of the lost tradition of Pithas in our culture. Such a festival also helps promote this heritage to the children here. I am happy to see the children happily playing here and trying out different Pithas."

Ashna Habib Bhabna, Actor

"We are slowly losing the concept of Pitha in our culture. We have very little knowledge about Pithas, added to the fact that we rarely prepare the dish at home. The fondest memory associated to Pitha I have is that of when I was young and my family and I used to go to my grandmother's house. There we used to make Pithas and make designs on them. I used to make the 'heart' shape, since it was the easiest to do. I personally prefer the Fuli and Shemai Pithas. Thus why I feel this is a great initiative. As Pitha is a part of our tradition, the more we can preserve this rich tradition the more it will contribute to our country and its heritage."

Abdus Selim, Academician, dramatist & translator

"Today we do not have the same excitement riling us up to coddle in Pithas. No one wants to take the hassle of preparing the dessert for two to three days at home. Today we do not have that environment in which we can make Pithas, as nowadays whenever we have any leisure time with the family we tend to go out to a restaurant. We have all forgotten the beautiful tradition of our country, with the younger generation completely blank about its heritage."

Laila Hasan, Cultural personality

"As we all know, today's youth love the flavors of fast food and have no clue about their own cultural delights. Yes, it is good for children to indulge in food from across the globe; however it is also very important for us to acclimatise them to our traditional heritages and introduce them to the countless forms of Pithas our forefathers have enjoyed centuries on."

Tariq Anam Khan, Actor, director & writer

 "After a long time, being able to attend an event such as this is very joyous for me. This is a brilliant initiative and I thank the hosts for pulling this off as they have brought back a piece of history in our nation that we have begun to lose touch with. Personally I feel there should be a Pitha festival every year, and it will help bestow the tradition to our children. I love dwelling on all sorts of Pithas, but if I had to pick one, it would be Pakan Pitha."

Suchanda, Actor & director

"I am very happy to attend this event. Pitha is a delicacy in our culture. I believe that Pitha falls under our cultural heritage. And as some people can make really nice patterns using Pithas, it wouldn't be wrong to call it an art form. Now, events like Pitha Utsab are much more frequent. In the past, fests like this only happened when a major celebration took place. Pitha was the most common item we used to treat guests with. I love the different names of the Pithas. The combination of the name and the designs on it warms my heart as soon as I see it. I really enjoyed this fest organized by Pran Premium Ghee and Anandadhara."

Surayya Siddiqua, Head of Marketing, IGLOO

"Firstly, I'd like to thank Pran Premium Ghee and Anandadhara for organizing this Pitha festival for the first time ever in a large area. Thanks for connecting with us even though the combination of ice cream does not go with the Pithas. We are really happy to be part of this fest. I would just say that this is really a beautiful show in whole. Programs like this should happen more and more."

Tapan Chowdhury, Singer

"The event is really nice, everything is very engaging. I mostly like this kind of outdoor festivals and enjoy going to them. But, I would like to say, we should have this sort of program almost everywhere. Most of the Pithas were common to me. However, I loved how they presented some Pithas from the depth of our culture and rural Bengal in the stalls, as we do not usually get to enjoy them in the city."

Aupee Karim, Actor

"I am enjoying my time here, and I expect Anandadhara to come next year and host an even larger festival. I expected a larger variety of Pithas, but as their first time, it is commendable. I cannot make Pithas on my own, but when I was young, I used to go over to my grandmother's house and help her  make them. Hence, the festival today brought back many memories from my childhood with her."

Fahmida Nabi, Singer

"I am attending such an event after many years. When I was young, I used to come to such festivals. I can't make Pithas, but I enjoy having them quite a lot. After several attempts, I arrived at the verdict that I am a person who loves eating them more than being able to make them. I love having Bhapa Pitha and Pakan Pitha. This brings me back to the time when my family and I used to visit my grandmother; she used to make Pithas by herself. I used to sneak into the kitchen and steal the freshly made ones. My grandmother used to make them, and I use to have them before anyone else, much to the mystery and confusion of the rest of my family. These memories still make me very emotional."

Samina Chowdury, Singer

"I am thrilled to be attending such a joyous event. It is true, going to an event like this is rare nowadays, hence why I am thankful to Anandadhara for inviting me. My favorite Pitha is Koa Pitha, and it is the only Pitha that I can make from scratch. I have many memories attached with Pitha. During my childhood, we used to visit my grandmother during winter. When she used to make all sorts of Pithas, my personal favorite was the Pakan Pitha. And as my sister mentioned, all of us cousins used to wait impatiently in line to steal a Pitha each. I will forever miss having my grandmother's handmade Pithas." 

Emon, Actor

"Very happy about this event, thanks to The Daily Star I will have Pithas for the first time this winter! My fondest memory of Pithas were when my cousins and I visited our grandmother in the village, where we all used to sit by the clay oven and help her make the various forms of delicacies. After she passed away, we didn't go back there much, and now we buy Pithas from shops which lack the same taste as the freshly hand baked ones we used to make. This is why I commend The Daily Star very highly for coming up with such a brilliant initiative, to bring back the long lost tradition and memories tied along with it."

Bappy Chowdhury, Actor

"I really enjoyed the Pitha festival. Pithas are a big part of our culture and in the festival I saw a lot of foreigners enjoying this delicacy. I really hope such events are held every year, so that the rest of the world can learn about our traditions as well. Moreover, many of my friends are here and I can enjoy the Pithas, something I really love eating, with them. Pithas also bring back many childhood memories for me."

Symon Sadik, Actor

"I try to attend all of Daily Star's events. This festival is for all us Bengalis. I love eating Pithas, I plan to have a bit of every single one of them. The thought of Pithas bring me personal joy. I grew up in a joint family, as a result, our family used to make several types of Pithas. In the city what we call Teler Pitha was called Duba Pitha in my village. I still do have Pithas quite a lot, but I miss the overall excitement it had back when I was young."

Nirob, Actor

"I am delighted to be here, it is a great idea to host such a festival. This event reminds me of when I go to my village; my mother makes special Pithas for me. I grew up with the Pithas my mother made, that's why I only prefer to eat homemade ones. Since I have a sweet tooth, I love all kinds of Pithas! If I had to pick three of my most favorite, they would be Bhapa Pitha, Taler Pitha and Patishapta Pitha. I am enjoying every moment here!"

Somnur Monir Konal, Singer

"I loved the Pitha festival as it brought back memories of my mother's homemade Pithas. Furthermore, it showcased our culture really well, which is very important as the younger generation is becoming more and more distant from it. The festival, I believe, was a source of infotainment, as it portrayed a large part of our culture in a very enjoyable manner. I hope to see more of such festivals in the future."

Sumaiya Shimu, Actor & model

"I enjoyed the Pitha fest very much, as I have always been a fan of Pithas. I would ask my mother to make Pithas for me when I was younger. I remember waiting for winter eagerly, as I would get to eat Pithas at different functions. I like all varieties of Pithas, but my favourites are the ones that my mother used to make when I was a child. One that I really loved, was Pakan Pitha. This festival really brought back all those memories."

Zakiya Sultana Kornia, Singer

"I would always pester my grandmother to make Pithas for me. So, I really enjoyed the Pitha festival. It was quite different from the other ones I attended. There was music for people to listen to and a separate corner for children to play. The environment was really pleasant and the families seemed to enjoy it immensely. When I was younger, my grandmother would always make Dudh Chitui for me, so the festival really brought back many memories."

Sadika Parvin Popy, Actor

"The Pitha festival was not merely a festival, but a celebration of our culture. I enjoyed the festival immensely and it was an amazing break from my monotonous daily routine. Pithas are an important part of our heritage and so, this event is a way of celebrating our culture. I believe that presenting our traditions in this manner will keep our heritage alive. As a Bengali, I do hope our customs are not lost over time."

Nabila, Actor

"I am very delighted to be here. I love having Kola Pitha and even today, I got the opportunity to have it. I cannot make Pithas on my own but I really enjoy having Pithas made by my grandmother. Pitha represents our culture and heritage. We find Pithas in villages, but it is very hard to get them in the city. This fest has given us the chance to connect to our tradition and I thank the organizers for coming up with this initiative." 

Doyel, Actor & model,

"The entire festival is nothing like I have seen before. Honestly, we are not related with Pithas nowadays, not even in winter. I really liked the kids' zone. I think for this addition, both parents and children can enjoy the fest properly. We want this fest to happen every year."

Naila Azad Nupur, Actor

"I am really enjoying this fest. I think it is a really great event for spending your leisure time in the evening on a weekend. I love the presence of people at the fest. The environment is so entertaining and the entire combination of Pithas, stage performances, lifestyle stalls and kids' zone is lifting the festive vibes. Actually, it is really different to have so many things in one place, in a busy town like Dhaka."

Ziaul Roshan, Actor

 "I will forever be in love with Pithas. During my childhood, Pitha was a big part of my life. I used to impatiently await the arrival of winter, as it meant we could go to my village and dwell upon my different types of Pithas. However, since shifting to Dhaka, you do not get that anticipation or joy of having Pithas like we did back in our village. And I barely get to visit my village, further why such an event was long overdue for us city people to rekindle our bond and heritage we have with Pithas. I enjoy all types of Pithas, and enjoyed the initiative taken by The Daily Star."

Kishore, Singer

"I am delighted to attend such a fruitful festival, as Pitha represents a part of our culture and tradition. In fact, I am thrilled by any event that aids in promoting the culture and heritage of Bangladesh. This reminds me of back when my cousins and I used to get together and eat numerous types of Pithas. To be honest, Pithas are still very popular in the village areas during winter. I feel that it still has a place within us city-dwellers, as we do see them being sold in shops here and there, maybe it does not have that same feel it used to when making them at home." 

Heera, Model

"It feels great to be here. Overall, the atmosphere is exciting. Listening to music and enjoying the delicious Pithas is giving me the festive vibes. I think this is a great fest to spend time with your friends and family."

By Ridwan Intisaar Mahbub, Shreya Shomoyeeta, Zaheen Araf Taseer & Farhan Sakib