Fantastic Recreational Activities and Where to Find Them
Over the past few years, Dhaka's food scene has erupted with success, with tons of food stores entering the market and prospering. The safest bet today is to start a food shop, because no matter what the season is, whether cold or warm, storm or rain, our undying love for food will forever thrive. However, with the growth of the food market, what people tend to overlook is the lack of other recreational activities.
There used to be a place to play paintball at Panthapath which has shut down for some unfortunate reasons. In addition, we no more have Sports Zone, our go to place for games such as bowling, arcade and snooker. Fortunately enough, there are still a handful of places left in Bangladesh which cater to our recreational thirst.
JAMUNA FUTURE PARK
Situated right beside Tabaq, Player's Club offers us an opportunity to play an exciting game as bowling. Being well maintained and providing us with more than six alleys to bowl in, Players' Club's bowling alley is the first thing that comes to one's mind when we think of recreational activities in the city. For safety reasons, they will also provide you with shoes with great grip; best suited for the sport. Everything is fantastic there, starting from the service to the quality of equipment, what doesn't fit the missing piece is the pricing. Since most of the people who play this sport are school going people, the price of Tk 350 for a single game of 10 rounds is a mammoth amount to pay. You'll be done with the game in a blink of an eye.
If you have a young sibling or nephew or niece, Future World is the place to go to. And, if you want the child in you to burst out, then don't hesitate to jump into the world of arcade, swings and trampoline. Playing "House of the Dead" on arcade, fighting your way through the avalanche of zombies until you reach the final stage will remind you of those intense sessions of gaming you used to enjoy on your computer as a child. The trampoline could give you a short dose of adrenaline as you are shot high up towards the roof. While the swing which goes round and round as you are lifted from the ground could be a nice cool down for you.
CLAY STATION
Fused with the phonetics of Play Station, this unique and completely new concept has taken Bangladesh by storm. Never could anybody imagine that someday pottery would become a recreational activity and a therapy to unwind and relax your frayed nerves. Placed at the edge of Gulshan Lake, the serene location complements the concept which the founders have introduced us to. As you work delicately with the ball of clay you are shaping, you will be able to feel every molecule in your body aligning in one straight symmetric pattern, allowing positive energy flowing through your body.
You would be amazed to discover how fast you can learn this simple technique and how well, with dexterity you would be able to shape the clay into a useful object. What you would love is the friendly ambiance the founders and staffs have created, allowing you to feel warm and comfortable. Not only do they teach you the basics, they constantly with patience guide you and encourage you to keep at it, even if you keep breaking the soft, sticky clay object which you are creating.
In addition, you can sit in the veranda and enjoy the cool breeze from the lake as you paint one of the clay structures of your pick from their nicely decorated clay showpieces.
It is perfectly priced and totally worth the money and time. You will definitely leave the place wanting to come back the very next hour.
BOAT RIDING
Over the past couple of years, one of the most heard of names of emerging sectors in Uttara is Diabari. No matter where you look, all you will see is acres and acres of open field with long, tall sea of wild plants. Thankfully enough, there are paved roads in their midst, with few buildings scattered throughout the sector. All you will see is people enjoying the serenity, drinking a hot cup of tea by the street side stalls, while many couples can be spotted walking around carelessly, lost in each other.
As you drive through the labyrinth of roads, you will find your way to a bridge, crowded with people standing taking pictures or watching others riding boats. You have now reached your destination. All you have got to do is walk down to one of the staffs managing the boat rides; pay him a couple of hundred taka and the boat will be all yours (of course for a certain time frame). You can paddle and direct the boat to take you wherever you want on the lake.
It'll feel as if you're in a Hollywood movie's carnival at the beach. As you paddle past you will be greeted with smiles and waves, everyone is actually in a relaxed and happy mood. You will even see some playing a melodious tune on their ukuleles and singing their hearts out. You must add it to your "What to Do in Dhaka City" list.
NAVEED'S COMEDY CLUB
You'll witness the literal rendition of "ROFL" when you are at Naveed's Comedy Club. The show takes place every Thursday featuring many young and famous comedians of the country. The constant interaction with the crowd as the audience is thoroughly involved in the gags will allow you to enjoy the show to its fullest; having not a single dull moment.
It's a fairly new concept which has been introduced to us and you'll be surprised to know how fast it has caught people's imagination. Had a hectic day at work? Or, are you tired of studying like a lunatic for your upcoming A'Level exams? Or, is it just that you want a tad bit of laughter in your life? All you good people need is a tiny dose of laughter to brighten up your day and relieve you of all your sorrow and pain. How much and where to find it? Tk 300-400 only, at NCC.
When people come from abroad, they keep asking if there's anything to do except for eating and almost all the time, there's no reply to it. It seems like one of those questions you receive in your exam asking you about an unknown galaxy whereas you were only asked to study about the solar system. It's sad that there is hardly any recreational activity to do in Dhaka and even when you find one, they will charge you a mountain of an amount or they'll end up shutting down after a few months time. Here's to those audacious groups of individuals who have addressed this dilemma and decided to bless us with some recreational activities to enjoy.
By Ali Sakhi Khan
Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed