Welcoming Winter
by Ashfaque Choudhury
Winter is one season we love in Bangladesh. Winter is a time when something good happens to us, we feel like traveling, we feel like eating warm pitha and fresh date juice that we can only get in winter. We welcome this season in our country like no other, in ways that are special and delightful.
From November to mid-February, a greyish mist and pearly dewdrops seem to cover the entire country. A cool wind blowing from the north brings relief from sultry fall weather. As soon as we open our mouths in the morning to say something, a puff of fog accompanies every frozen breath! The beauty of winter in our country makes the people to change their way of life from the rest of the year.
The way we start to wear full-sleeved clothes and wrap ourselves in bright shawls, and then enjoy each and everything that follows. Many a time we see the whole day passing without even a single ray of sun. The entire day seems surreal _ something from a twilight zone.
We wake up early in the morning hoping for a little peep from the sun through the fog. Then we have our fill of pitha (rice pies) and warm tea. The best part of winter is probably to sleep at night _ and preferably the whole day _ under a quilt.
Bhapa pitha, chital pith, puli pitha, mera pitha, ful pitha _ are just some of the colourful names of the delicious pies we eat this season. And the various ways we eat them are amazing as well _ bhapa pitha with grated coconut and gur (molasses), chital pitha with mint or mustard paste, mera pitha with duck curry and puli pitha with sweet milk.
Winter vegetables like sheem (broad beans), peas, tomatoes, carrots, radish, cauliflower, cabbage and new potatoes are something to savour. All kinds of vegetables are now available throughout the year, but in winter they are fresh, juicy and crunchy.
And flowers bloom in abundance, too. Fields and home gardens turn colorful with patches of yellow, orange, red, lilac, pink and white of mustard flowers, marigolds, roses, tuber roses, dahlias, chrysanthemums and gladiolus.
In winter, visiting our village homes or just going around the country as a tourist is really enjoyable as well, as you dont have to sweat from all that travelling. Also, river cruises or picnics with family, friends or colleagues are great treats, too.
The winter in our country is nothing less than a festive season. Traditional village fairs and harvest festivals, weddings and children starting a new school year _ are all occasions to celebrate. Our Victory Day also falls in December _ the middle of winter _ which reminds us of our struggle for independence and restores our sense of pride as citizens of a sovereign nation.
This pleasant season is also enjoyed by expatriate Bangladeshis, who often return home to avoid harsher winters abroad or attend family weddings. Nowadays, it also attracts foreign tourists who take advantage of lucrative travel deals at resorts that are flourishing in scenic places like Sylhet, Coxs Bazar, the Sundarbans or the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
But it seems that this welcoming season not only invites humans, but birds and butterflies, too. These migratory creatures from lands afar flock our rivers and lakes or take over our forests for a few months. Protected areas around the country provide them with sanctuary and food while they wait to return home, or fly on further south.
Many people say that Switzerland is heaven on earth in winter. Well, we have just one thing to say to them: you have not seen Bangladesh in winter. While tourist slogans may say Come to Bangladesh to enjoy the natural beauty, we say Come to Bangladesh in winter and fall in love with this beautiful country.
Amar Sonar Bangla the first line of our national anthem says it all _ but during the winter season you can see and feel for yourself why our country is called that. n
The writer is a sub-editor of The Independent.
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