Coastal TreatDiscovering a new Cox's Bazar

We wanted to travel along the coast. We called it a coast feast and so the traditional Cox's Bazar became our first spot.

On a sunny warm morning, we arrived in Cox's Bazar. It was a long time since I last visited this place -- my reason to avoid it was the huge crowd that I always loathed. You have no privacy. Secondly, with the fall of dusk Cox's Bazar turns into the most boring sea resort I have ever visited. There are no clubs, no entertainment facilities. You just shut yourself up behind the hotel doors and brood over your gloomy years.

So I came here with much trepidation. But what struck me as our car coasted through the busy town is the amount of money that has gone into tourism here -- newer and newer hotels have shot up into the sky and funnily none of them are empty even on this supposedly off-season. Rickshaw fare is astronomically high to piss off any traveller. And tourists were visible even more now -- the middle-class is going out more and more, they are becoming holidaymakers. But still no signs of any clubs or entertainment spot. So, with the conservative Cox's Bazar, tourism stops there.

After we had checked into the forest guesthouse right on the beach (by the way, this is the only staying place closest to the sea), we took a stroll on the beach. We walked a long distance to a quieter place, a huge fishing boat had been beached for repair. It lay banked on one side. We took a dip in the sea to ward off the heat and then sat in the shade of the boat until we felt another need for a swim.

We got off the water thirsty. We thought of the long walk to the forest bungalow and felt thirstier. Then someone saw this signboard -- Mermaid -- hidden behind sandbars. We walked to it and suddenly discovered a new world, like an oasis in the dessert. A beautiful restaurant, landscaped with tree trunks, sawed-off wood boards showing all the rough edges, plants and bushes. The reed-thatched ceiling supported by bamboo poles hung low. The benches are made of pure raw timber chunks. Behind a bar-like counter was a black board scribbled with chalks the menu -- all very stylish.

We sat there, sipped on pineapple slush and lazily watched the sea. A Dutch couple was having lunch -- lobster soup and sandwiches. A Bangali mother in her late 30s walked in with four kids trailing her. The sun-baked kids were hollering around, playing funny games of words totally incomprehensible to us the oldies.

We felt lazy to get up, the lonely sea was giving us such a nice ambience to laze around. And the cool shade of Mermaid was so hypnotising. But our stomachs were grumbling. And we wanted to get that old taste of Jhaubon, the famous restaurant in Cox's Bazar.

And we suffered for our decision dearly. There was a big crowd outside Jhaubon; one might have mistaken the restaurant as a manpower recruitment centre if one did not know what it is. We waited for half an hour while our tummies churned. Finally, we could place our orders and true to its old reputation, the dishes were fantastic.

We spent that afternoon by the sea lying on beach chairs. This time we wanted to see the people -- they came in every shades and hues. Four women clad from head to toe in burkhas walked by, their bare feet ankle-deep in water. The souls inside the burkhas were quiet young as their doe eyes showed, they giggled as they passed by us. The honeymooners were snuggling up against each other on the beach chairs, drowned in their own world. But there were another kind of romantics -- middle-aged men in suits and ties and obese women in bright red sarees and decked with gold ornaments strolled hand in hand. The husbands carrying the vanity bags. Two men in crew cut walked with hands wrapped around each other's waist. It was truly an exhibition of human beings.

The sun turned into a pink ball and dipped beyond the horizon in to the sea. When the sky was full of stars, someone said there was a new restaurant on the beach called Chill and Grill, and that there's going to be a full-moon party on the beach tonight. Our hearts danced, this was a new Cox's Bazar we were hearing about. Wow!

The moon was yet to rise and we walked through the sand in complete darkness -- it was that magical time before it becomes a full-moon night. From the distance we could hear drum beats. Kerosene lanterns indicated the way to the restaurant. Once inside the restaurant, we were amazed -- we could not believe our eyes that this was Bangladesh, this was our old quaint Cox's Bazar. If I were brought here blindfolded, I would have vouched that this was Goa. We sat on wooden sofas, put our legs on raw-textured wooden tables, relaxed to the swish of the palm trees and watched the neon-lit window of the kitchen. The aroma from food was simply mouth-watering. There was a hammock tied between two palm trees and somebody was lying in it. A small pool was lit mysteriously.

The full-moon beach party started after 10. Huge sound boxes set on the sand blared music. People were appearing on the moon-lit beach -- men and women. And they swung their bodies to the rhythm of the beat. The soft sand underneath was a bit awkward, but you felt good. This was a new breed of tourists we were meeting here -- the ones who are bold and fun-seeking, who love to spend holidays as holidays should be.

We walked away from the party at midnight, leaving the drumbeat behind. Ahead of us was the foaming sea and the sandy beach all washed with moonlight. There was that big fishing boat we saw in the morning, still lying on its side. We could see the pale shadow it cast. The beach chairs were piled together. We lay on them, the huge moon was hanging directly over our head, bathing this whole world in its soft rays. Away in the distance, we could make out a fishing trawler, slowly bobbing on the sea. A lonely dog trotted along the beach aimlessly. It looked like a spirit coming from nowhere and going nowhere. We felt light like a sheaf of corn ready to be blown away to the moon.

The History of Valentine's Day

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day -- and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial -- which probably occurred around 270 A.D -- others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.

To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification.

The boys then sliced the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman 'lottery' system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed. Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February -- Valentine's Day -- should be a day for romance. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.

In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.

According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.)

Approximately 85 percent of all valentines are purchased by women. In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.

Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages (written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400), and the oldest known Valentine card is on display at the British Museum. The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap".

He Said

He said a lot of things actually. He said he wanted locks of shiny black ringlets that bounce when she shakes her head in friendly disapproval; he said he wanted eyes that would look like a bowl of cool water- undisturbed, unadulterated- that reflects the night sky; he said he wanted a smile that would chisel out a dimple on her cheeks; he said he wanted the smell of smoke and honey on the curve of her neck when she throws her head back to laugh her schoolgirl laugh. Give him that and he would build a temple for her out of ice that never melts and wild saffron roses that never wilt; give him that and he would put his heart in a sandalwood box and offer it for her keep. He said a lot of things…

That is not surprising. As a mandate of the human nature, we tend to seek out the “perfect woman”. The woman who can do no wrong, who with her aura of mysticism and almost-painful beauty can fill a man's heart with love. There are so many dimensions to a woman, it is said that she is like a map to the unexplored. Yet all of it- the longing, the wistfulness, the aspiration- boils down to a single question: what is a “perfect woman”?

The orthodoxy is that a man is a shallow creature in an eternal quest to find beautiful women. However, if that was the case, a woman would be no different from a souvenir. And, indeed, not a map to uncharted grounds. Of course, a woman to an extent is defined by her beauty and grace, as much as a man is defined by his build and strength. But beauty is skin deep, and to get to the blood and the life flow of it all, there is something more.

The term “perfect woman”- even to the most promiscuous of men- is often interchangeably usable with soul mates. Someone who you can be with for years, and even a lifetime, at a stretch without getting tired of it. Contrary to popular belief, it does not take love to get there; it takes an indestructible bond of friendship. A woman needs to be a man's friend, his comrade. She needs to communicate her feelings with the man, as much as he needs to communicate with her. Open communication paves the way for trust and mutual respect, in the knowledge that she has nothing to hide and neither does he.

On a lighter note, she must possess a wicked sense of humour- a woman who can make you laugh is a woman worth the keep. In fact, there are very few men who would love to have a dried up prune as their woman. She would also love travel and adventure, and when- but only when- time demands it love living on the edge and taking risks. Travelling and globe-trotting is an experience, and any ordinary man would love to share that experience with their special someone.

Equally, a women needs to know not to encroach on the man's personal space. Most women make the mistake of being too inquisitive. If the man does not want to talk about something, don't badger him with lines like: “you don't love me anymore”. Give him the time, and when the time is right he will speak up.

Moreover, a woman who knows how to whip up a hearty meal is an added value. They say that a way to a man's heart is through his stomach… and they are right. Words of wisdom.

Coming to think of it, he did say an awful lot of things… but if the price is his heart in a sandalwood box and a temple carved out of ice and flowers, it is definitely worth a try.

Victory Day-Dawns in the Dusk

Speak of a year synonymous with disaster and the future will hold 2007 in pretty high reckoning - - at least as far as Bangladesh and her people are concerned.
By all estimations 2007 has been one of the most difficult and trying times for the people of this land. Crippled by natural disasters, choked by political strife and caught up in the vagaries of change, Bangladesh has struggled through a year stumbling from one problem to another, never managing to get the new start that looked so probable at the dawn.

Another year that began with optimism born out of resilience nears its end with suffering at top of the agenda. Which is why, December 16th takes on such great meaning. This Victory Day, evoking memories of a triumph against all odds 37 years previously, should provide us not only with a feel-good factor as always but work as a springboard to heal our wounds and move on.

It is something that we do well, have kept on doing for a while now and therefore should use to the best of our abilities to provide us some respite from a year that included Cyclone Sidr, ravaging floods and a huge change in the political landscape.

240 km/hr winds of destruction hit on November 15 killing thousands, affecting millions, ravaging livestock and leaving innumerable not knowing how they will go through the next day.

Unfortunately this was not the only display of Mother Nature's wrath.

Floods continued to wreck their yearly havoc across the length and breadth of the country, leaving over six hundred dead and millions displaced. Although the waters have long since receded damage to crops however, water-borne diseases remain rampant.

And proving three is the number of misery, a dramatic cold wave early in the year left nearly two hundred dead to compound the woes of the oft-suffering people.

That was just in the natural font.

Change swept its flighty wings across the political landscape.

A year, which began with the now well-known 1/11 and which has seen emergency rule and a caretaker government for the most part of it.

As with most things Bangaldeshi, that too started off promisingly but has tended to peter off with the passing of time.

The optimism and vigour that marked the opening few months, the setting right of all who wronged in the past all promised so much but has failed to deliver.

Disillusionment has set in again and all the new beginnings are being judged as false dawns.

The familiarity of failure threatens to overwhelm us yet again. But disappearing into mediocrity is not what Victory Day is about. Which is why it comes at such an opportune moment reminding us that while so many things have gotten away from us this year (and the year before and the year before…), there is one that shall stay with us forever.

The memory of a day when our nation was born is still churned out of folklore by the new generation. But if anything can provide riposte to the certainty of failure it is that. So come December 16, let us celebrate and embrace a great victory, perhaps the only great victory that we have won.

Let us shed all that threatens to swallow us up and revel in the few minutes of greatness that all of us are due. No matter how corrupted we get, how much flood water seeps in or how many promising governments fail, Victory Day is something that will afford us that bit of pride in having achieved something. Maybe it will only be a brief time-out from reality but as they say, something is better than nothing.

Here is, where we raise (for as many times as necessary) our glasses for the hope of a new and improved Bangladesh.

December 16 is our Christmas miracle....as unexpected and impossible as a virgin giving birth....but it happened.

And just once.

Maybe that's what makes it so special.

Hatkora Lemons

For Sylhetis, the true-bred ones, the Hatkora is a legendary and greatly demanded item at the dinner table. This species of lemon is an essential to go along with the curry at dinner for Sylhetis with the finer taste-buds.

Botanically, Hatkora is a species of the Rutaceas family. It looks green and round like any regular lemon, but has a reputation unlike any other. A Hatkora tastes sour and sweet. Sylhetis accustomed to its taste find it delicious while it has very little appeal to non-Sylhetis. One reason for that is that although it is available almost everywhere in Sylhet, it is not grown or even consumed anywhere else in Bangladesh.

The Indian states of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Monipur are producers of the best kinds of Hatkora. Hilly areas of the Sylhet Division also produce plenty of Hatkora. The demand for Hatkora particularly in Moulvibazar and Sylhet is so high that Bangladeshi producers can hardly cope with it. Some import this variety from India.

If you happen to be invited for dinner to a Sylheti household, you will be entertained with fish or meat or curry dishes perked up with Hatkora lemons. When you try to prepare curry, with Hatkora, you must be very careful about the quantity. Too much would ruin the whole curry. Hatkora is strong, so all that is required is a hint of it.

There is that account of a non-Sylheti man who heard about the lemon and decided to buy a bulk load of it. To get the best out of the buy he advised his wife to use a large amount of it in the cooking. His wife knew nothing about this species of lemon. So she prepared a fish curry mixing it with huge pieces of it. Needless to say, it was too sour for any human to consume. Not everybody agrees on the merits of Hatkora. Some hate it; others can't live without it.

Hatkora is so popular among the Sylhetis that they love to send it abroad to their friends and relatives who live in the UK, the USA, Canada and other countries.

Pop up

Skip a meal

When attempting healthy living, this one move could have truly dramatic results. In a recent study at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, the hearts of the leaner human calorie-cutters appeared 10 to 15 years younger than those of regular eaters.
In other research, calorie restrictors improved their blood insulin levels and had fewer signs of damage to their DNA. Eating less food, scientists believe, may reduce tissue wear and tear from excess blood sugar, inflammation, or rogue molecules known as free radicals.

Try it

Skip a meal a day- according to whatever suits you best. You don't need to try to cut calories; research suggests you'll naturally consume less that day. Or try fasting one day a week. Just drink plenty of water.

Ode to resilience

The sea is rough. I can sense it even in Dhaka, a good three hundred kilometres away from the danger zone. What are my men doing I wonder? The real lucky ones, I assume, are sitting in the dark, crowded rooms of the cyclone shelter; others reluctant to leave the refuge of their thatched houses, the only real protection in their lives, are all strong against the raging wind. Some may have even dared to venture out into the sea. Chanting the kalima in unison with other fishermen, an open declaration of War against the treacherous nature.

I failed to understand the driving force behind these men, battling the odds of nature in every step of the way. Where do they get the courage to battle against hunger, against the Mahajan, against life? They have been fishermen all their lives, the lives of their fathers, their great grandfathers and further still in their patriarchy. It seems through the ages, they have been handed down with the tradition of defying all laws natural or human. This makes life bearable and their spirits revived. A hurricane has come and gone, they know more is yet to come but their struggle goes on. Signing Off!

The excerpt may be a work of fiction but it does, in essence, speak of the people living in the coastal belts of the country. We salute these valiant souls and pray for the salvation of those departed.

Finding the right furniture

Whatever we do almost always revolves around some type of furniture or another- from sleeping on the bed to working on the desk at the office, furniture is undeniably one of the best things since the invention of wheels! It serves almost every purpose, including regular requirements and home beautification. Thus, it is literally something we cannot do without!

It is no mean feat trying to pick out the right furniture for one's home. It is usually a pretty lengthy process into which a fair amount of thought must be put. Probably the best way to getting the right furniture is through ordering and having them custom made, since that way, you can be sure of what exactly that is you want. Unfortunately, what with the incredibly hectic lives that people have to deal with today, such a luxury is not always possible. Which is why the next best option is to get ready-made furniture from a furniture store. And even better than that, of course, is to be a little patient and wait for the furniture fair that is held annually, where one can get great deals and discounts, as well as an option to choose from a huge selection of items since most big furniture stores across town participate in the fair.

This year, the 5th National Furniture Fair 2007, was held the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre, from the 12th to 17th of this month. As always, it was a grand affair and turned out to be quite a success, even through all the disruption of the cyclonic weather! The fair was almost constantly abuzz with pleasant crowds of people, either enthusiastically buying or simply visiting!

Among the participants, were some of the leading furniture makers of the country, such as Navana, Otobi, Hatil, Akhter Furnishers with their exclusive range of both office and home furniture. Also available, were kitchen furniture such as kitchen cabinets, oven racks, etc, as well as garden/lobby furniture and living room furniture, such as sofa sets and divans. Other participants were, Wood Marc, Naznin Furniture, Nadia Furniture, Athena's Furniture ans Home Decor, World Class Home Furniture, Toru Furniture and Handicrafts, etc. Wood Marc, in particular, had some beautiful bed designs, that ranged from Tk- 65,000-70,000. Most of the stalls offered a discount of 5-10%, while a few offered up to 15%.

Many of the furniture on display flaunted 'sold' tags, which goes to prove that the event did indeed, turn out to be quite a success! This type of event, although not all that common as yet, is quite encouraging for both the sellers and customers, since people are interested and do, in fact, make time out of their busy lives to attend along with their families and try and pick out the right furniture for the home.

Kindled Candles

Protesting against their mundane use for mere illumination during power failures, candles have come a long way from the kitchen shelves to every corner of our houses. Whether candles are assembled in the living room, candlesticks gathered on the dinner table, or cuddled in colored glass votives on the mantle, candles surely add stylishness and chick to the drab décor. And why not? Everything seems to become nicer by candlelight!

Decorative candles are gaining on popularity day by day revealing their versatile persona through various designs, shapes, colors and aromas. Not only do they add flair and spice to any atmosphere but they also can add subtle warmth, allowing your home to be an inviting place for guests rather than a stale, boring abode.

Decorative candles work well in just about any home as they can sit anywhere and you can find them in just about any color or fragrance. Candles are available in almost all of the department stores, superstores, gift shops or street markets throughout the city but Aarong can be your one stop solution in buying decorative candles. A wide variety of candles and candle stands can be found in this hub within a very reasonable budget. Shops like Archies and Hallmarks can also be a good option for these decorative pieces of wax.

Candles come in all sorts of varieties and styles these days to suit the tastes of every one. Pillar candle, which is the most common, and dominant of basic candles comes in numerous colors, patterns, textures and designs ranging from Tk 30 to Tk 475. As a special collection, Aarong's pillar candles with inscriptions of Bengali alphabets, costs Tk 140 each and cylinder shaped glitter candles start from Tk 30. Thin taper candles with a wide variety of sleek colors can adorn your dining table for only Tk 40 per pack. If you prefer scattering the candles in every corner of your room or ensemble them mixing or matching the colors according to the décor, then votive candles can be your best choice. They're small enough to not be in the way and burn bright without spilling the wax as they sit on glass or metallic holders. Their prices range from Tk 20 to Tk 245 depending on the quality and size. Tea light candles which are often unscented and come in a plain white color cost Tk 30 each. However, you can also find tea light candles that are scented. The allure of a scented candle priced at Tk 65 is irresistible, particularly when the candle is slowly burning down, allowing the wax to release a blissful fragrance. Floating candles are yet another great option that provides magical touch to the décor. Available in the most diverse forms and shapes, floating candles are priced from Tk 2 to Tk 20. Just like the candles themselves, the prices may vary too from shop to shop. So if you are not in a fixed price shop it'd be wiser to use your bargaining skill.

The ambience created by a soft flickering glowing candle is truly magical. The appeal of candles is eternal and their impression ever lasting. Employ the use of decorative candles wisely and see what difference the flares bring to your home. Needless to say, you won't regret it.

Guardian Angel on the Job

A man was walking in the street when he heard a voice: "Stop! Stand still! If you take one more step, a brick will fall down on your head and kill you." The man stopped and a big brick fell right in front of him. The man was astonished.He went on, and after awhile he was going to cross the road. Once again the voice shouted: "Stop! Stand still! If you take one more step a car will run over you and you will die." The man did as he was instructed, and a car came careening around the corner, barely missing him. "Where are you?" the man asked. "Who are you?" "I am your guardian angel," the voice answered. "Oh yeah?" the man asked. "And where the hell were you when I got married?"