The Season of Red & White

Photo: Star Lifestyle Archive

From the beginning of April, the shopping scene at Dhaka faces a complete overhaul. Western beats are replaced by the traditional sounds at all the major shopping malls including Pink City, Genetic Plaza etc. Tops, dresses and even fotuas make room for the classic saris, shalwar-kameez sets and panjabis and most importantly, red and white rule supreme.
Any female who has crossed over the '14-year-old' borderline is most likely jumping in anticipation for a chance to wear and wander around in a sari. You can get special Pahela Baishakh red and white saris in cotton, jamdani, half silk and silk.
Nine out of the ten boutiques of Deshi Dosh (at Boshundhora Mall) have geared up for the occasion with special discounts and offers. Here you can find cotton saris ranging from Tk 750-1500 and at the other end silk saris starting from Tk 2000 and going as high up as Tk 5000. In this range you will find many other saris of various materials.
If cotton or silk is not your style and you crave something which oozes sophistication, make a trip to Jamdani Kutir, Tangail Sari Kutir or Taant Ghar. Here your budget needs to be from Tk 3500 to 15000.
If you want a break from the toilsome travelling around in a sari on a hot and humid day, no worries. Shalwar-kameez sets, especially for the red and white celebration, have taken over the shelves of even the traditionally non-traditional retailers such as Yellow, Smartex, Infinity, Trendz and others.
Here you will find the appropriate clothing around Tk 1200, providing you with the basic red and white combination on cotton or synthetic material. If you decide to go up to Tk 6000, you'll get some decorative embroidery or thread work on your dress.
Traditional three-piece retailers such as Chaiti is also ready for the season, supplying the shoppers with an assortment of block, screen print and embroidered sets ranging from Tk 800 to 2500.
Like any other traditional event, it is almost a sin for a man to wear anything other than a panjabi in Pahela Baishakh. For those who are confused about what to buy and where to go, try checking out the various local fashion houses like Kay Kraft, Banglar Mela or Aarong. Prices can range from Tk 800 to 6000.
Now we all know that the love birds in Dhaka city are heavily deprived of scopes to share special moments. Hence, just like Valentine's Day, Pahela Baishakh gives these couples the opportunity to go out and have a good time. Keeping this in mind, local designers have come up with the idea of creating outfits for couples -- panjabi for the guy and sari or kameez for the girl. It doesn't end there; they have sets for mothers and daughters, and fathers and sons as well.
When the going gets hard in the daily hustle and bustle of life, the city dwellers seek days when they can take a break and celebrate life, and what better day to indulge in celebration than the Bangla New Year?
As one of the shoppers enthusiastically told us, Pahela Baishakh is an event created and developed by the masses, and is a perfect outlet for our cultural expression. The vibrant colours, the intoxicating music, even the heavy traffic on the day are all part of the festivities. So shop, walk, eat and share the joy.
By Raisaa Tashnova and Afrida Mahbub