As much as we want to avoid, we are now faced with weddings that have layer upon layer of hullabaloo before the big day, to the extent that one often gets exhausted. More so for the bride, but not so much for the rebellious kind.
Eid day; the men, the women, and the children have all returned from Eid prayers. The butcher — amateur in all aspects — gets busy with his new found profession; he is the ubiquitous ‘butcher for a day’ on active service!
Sometimes we get carried away amongst all the chaos of a wedding. Be it with spending hefty sums on the dress, or going overboard with the invitation cards.
Fast forward to today, and you will see that love for traditional Bengali sweets is still going strong. Unfortunately, the only thing that seems to have changed is that we now have literally no time to dabble into the wizardry of sweet-making as the city life has its own set rules, which mostly do not include making desserts at home.
When comparing dinner tables of a Bengali and a Westerner, it's hard to understand the importance of bread in our diet as ours mostly consists of rice. That's not to say that bread has no place here, as we have our own way, time and type of breads to consume, making it very much a part of Bengali diet and cuisine. Bread's significance does not merely lie in its many nutritional properties. Its history and significance in culture and different religions is enough to fill tomes in museums across the globe.
Best suited for all skin types, the naturally moisturising honey mask helps lighten skin tone and cleans the pores, leaving you glowing.
You have successfully popped the question and feel ecstatic. Well now the list of responsibilities only grows... better start prepping!
The final big day that you tie the knot on may look effortless in its execution, but only those who have been through these as brides or bridesmaids will truly know exactly how many things can go wrong. But having said that, being prepared is not all that difficult!
To say that times are confusing would not be an understatement. We are indeed struggling to create an unbiased environment for everyone to live in.
Pick up a notebook or your favourite note taking app and get busy. Carefully list out the budget, the venue, the dresses, where to go for the flowers, the makeup artists, caterers — everything that comes to mind should be listed.
Modern fashion and living are ascending the steps to embrace the senses, while providing the people with a platform of expression. The issue of sustainability and eco-friendliness are now highlighted more than ever; fashion and living too are now addressing these concerns.
Shab-e-barat is approaching and your neighbourhood grocery stores are already stocked up with ghee and spices. The fish and bhortas of the last week are well behind, and rich sweet and savoury recipes are being dusted out.
When comparing dinner tables of a Bengali and a Westerner, it's hard to understand the importance of bread in our diet as ours mostly consists of rice. That's not to say that bread has no place here, as we have our own way, time and type of breads to consume, making it very much a part of Bengali diet and cuisine. Bread's significance does not merely lie in its many nutritional properties. Its history and significance in culture and different religions is enough to fill tomes in museums across the globe.
Fast forward to today, and you will see that love for traditional Bengali sweets is still going strong. Unfortunately, the only thing that seems to have changed is that we now have literally no time to dabble into the wizardry of sweet-making as the city life has its own set rules, which mostly do not include making desserts at home.
As the evening gradually flowed into the night, earthen lamps were burned and fairy lights bedecked buildings just like stars adorn the night sky. As the flames flickered in the wind, echoes of laughter and excited voices filled the air already laden with the smell of freshly made halwa-roti. The streets of Dhaka were getting ready to celebrate Shab-e-barat, the fabled night of fortune and forgiveness.
My culinary experiments began at the tender age of seven, and involved puddings, singaras and vegetable rolls.