Tradition of breadmaking on SHAB-E-BARAT still alive in Old Dhaka

A bite into a slice of oven-toasted, fresh bread smeared in soft, salted butter and sprinkled with sugar dust is no doubt heavenly. When the bread is in the shape of a fish with marble eyes and slightly pulled scales, with sesame seeds topped over it, the glee is almost childlike.

It's Shab-e-Barat and lanes of Old Dhaka are bustling with shops vending these soft, fluffy decorative pieces of bread. At the factories, mounds of flour are being made into dough and layered or shaped in moulds of fish and crocodiles, and shapes like circles, triangles, and rectangles.

The bakers add their imagination in detailing the products. Topped with candied fruits, they are sprinkled with sesame seeds and braids designed around edges. Some even have mirrors set on them in shapes of flowers and geometrical patterns.

Many people make it a point to visit the narrow lanes of Nazimuddin Road and stop at "Dhaka Bakery" for their festival bread. Although similar baked bread is found in places like the more renowned Ananda Confectionery, Olympia Bakery & Confectionery, or Chawk Bazar the ones from this particular shop have a certain plain goodness about them.

Md Alamgir Hossain is the owner of Dhaka Bakery. For 20 years this tiny shoebox-styled old store is rolling out special bread on Shab-e-Barat. The rest of the time they lie low, selling special toasts and regular baked products.

At the back of this lacklustre shop is their equally threadbare factory, where they have big woodfire ovens, where all the baking takes place. This year, Dhaka Bakery has already received orders for 50 mounds from different areas.

There is a certain festive energy surrounding the Shab-e-Barat, a night special to Muslims. Prayers dominate the day's routine but on a day like this, one needs to let go of strict eating discipline and indulge in the simple pleasure of maybe eating a slice of the special bread procured from Old Dhaka with carrot halwa.

For many, the afternoons are spent making different halwas and decorating them with almonds and edible silver foil. In many households, the air gets heavy with aromas of cinnamon and cardamoms sautéed in ghee. The ritual to prepare bread and halwas and sharing them with neighbours and the underprivileged is part of the day's plan.

Shab-e-Barat has lost much of its grandiosity in past few decades. Yet for many, it remains a night of prayers and devotion followed by a day still steeped in tradition.

Every nook and cranny of Dhaka have stories waiting to be told. "My Dhaka" gives interested writers the platform to share experiences of city life. Only selected stories will make it to our print edition and digital platform. Send your Dhaka story (within 450 words) to raffat@thedailystar.net