From food to fashion, how we feel in winter in Bangladesh

What comes to your mind when we hear the word 'Winter'? A lazy morning filled with fog, a man cycling somewhere, wearing a muffler and a shirt that barely covers his body to keep warm? Or the smell of freshly made Pitha by our mothers and grandparents? A long time care-free vacation when exams come to an end? What comes to mind? To all the fellow citizens of this beautiful land, all of the scenes mentioned above remind us of winter. The steaming pots of pitha, the sweet smell of date juice, and the cheerful buzz inside our home-winter is not just about cold weather; it's a season of happiness, celebration, and warmth. From busy city life to quiet villages, the country fills with serenity, colour, and excitement as winter arrives.

Morning starts with the Pitha

Winter in Bangladesh feels incomplete without pitha. Every morning, the scent of freshly steamed Bhapa pitha spreads through homes as mothers and grandmothers prepare them with love.

There are so many kinds of Pithas, Patishapta, Puli, Chitoi, Doodh chitoi, Morog samucha, Tel pitha, and more. Each one has its own taste and stories to tell.

In the villages, pitha nights are still a joyful tradition. People gather to make and share pitha, and to laugh, sing, and talk late into the night. The warmth of those moments makes the cold disappear.

Nowadays, pitha has also become a part of city life. During winter, you can find small pitha stalls almost everywhere in parks, on roadsides, or at pitha festivals organised by entrepreneurs, especially women. People like to joke around, saying, "The winter in Bangladesh may be cold, but the bhapa pitha pot is always hot!"

Season of weddings

For Bengalis, winter means wedding season. You will notice vibrant tents, bright lights, and loud music everywhere in this season. Whether in open village fields or city community centres, weddings bring new colour in this season.

Friends and family gather under glittering lights as the aroma of polao and mutton curry wafts through villages.

Evenings in cities are transformed into celebrations with decorated roads and restaurants. Couples enjoy photo shoots as well. Winter enables us to try new fashion. Winter weddings make the season feel even cosier by bringing love, family, and celebration together.

Winter fashion

Summer and other seasons offer limited opportunities to try new things in fashion. But in winter, as the weather grows colder, we can put on extra clothes. So, people enjoy wearing clothing freely without fear of sweating. Mufflers, Shawls, and Leather jackets are all you can try this season.

Festivals and fairs

Fairs and neighbourhood gatherings take place during the winter. Village fairs, Urosh, Pitha Mela, and other local festivals are celebrated nationwide. University campuses also held various occasions throughout the season. Men enjoy steaming cups of tea while chatting with friends, women shop for winter goods, and children run with balloons and kites. Every village feels like a festival during this time, when colour and laughter fill the streets.

Vacations and family meet-ups

Students look forward to the end of their exams as December approaches. The holidays start with visiting grandparents' houses, playing with cousins, eating pitha, and staying up late telling stories.

Winter holidays are the warmest season of the year because of the joy and companionship they bring. The date palm trees, a unique gift from nature for this season, release drops of sweet sap on the chilly winter mornings.

To make gur, or molasses, which gives each pitha its deep, sweet flavour, people gather the sap and boil it. In many homes, consuming fresh date juice first thing in the morning is a wintertime custom. Its sweetness combines with the cool air and golden sunlight to create the straightforward yet enchanting atmosphere that characterises a winter morning in Bangladesh.

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