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A feast of pithas and folk songs

9 January 2005, 18:00 PM
LIFESTYLE
By Cultural Correspondent
9 January 2005, 18:00 PM
Baul songs were an added attraction at the pitha festival
Imagine a crunchy bite onNakshi pitha, dipped in condensed date juice accompanied with the folk music by the mystiques of Bengal in the bustling Dhaka City. Or savour plainChitoi pithawith ground mustard andShutki(dried fish). Or relish the hot temptingBhapa Pitha... If talking aboutpithas--the traditional winter cakes--there are many more that symbolise the authentic flavour of Bangalee culture. Especially, during the cold and misty winter morning sitting beside a mud stove with mom and granny making hotpithasand relishing those afterwards--is a very common sight in rural areas. But the city dwellers rarely get such an opportunity to enjoy these delicacies. To bring back the perishingpithaculture into the city life, Kebab-e-Q, a restaurant popularly known as KEQ, takes the initiative and regularly organises a festival of Bangladeshipithasand live Bangla music every Saturday.

On Saturday evening last at KEQ was a fusion of Lalon singers and a feast of pithas. Delicious Patishapta-- a Banglalee stuffed pancake, Rosh Chitoi, Narkel Pooli, Mung Pakan, Malpua, Jhal Pitha, Nokshi Pitha, Vapa Pitha, Plain Chitoi with bharta and many other varieties of tangible pithas were savoured by a good number of foreigners as well as locals.

The addition was the songs by the mystique Lalon singers. Barir kachher arshinagar, Amrito megher bari, Shunilei pran chomke uthey, Shomoy geley shadhon hobeyna, Ke banailo emon rangmaahalkhana-- were the few highlighted songs of the three-hour-long programme. Jamaluddin Tuntun, AKM Shamsuddoha, Anwar Hossain, Mizanur Rahman and the only female singer Tripti enthralled the audience with their powerful renditions and lyrics accompanied with the tunes of ektara, dotara, tabla, flute, mandira and dhol. "It is a great opportunity for us to be able to entertain the younger generation, as many of them don't have a clear vision about our roots and the spirit of Fakir Lalon Shah. Even today we are performing in front of a sizeable number of foreigners who can also have a glimpse of our culture," said an enthusiast singer Shamsuddoha.

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The programme went a long way in bringing Lalon songs and delectable pithas to the younger generation.