I hate winter season. The mornings are the worst. Getting out of the warm bed is a challenge by itself. The harsh, icy water and the bone shattering cold air doesn’t make life easier for anyone. The dense fog, which is adamant, refuses to go away till midday, creating a nuisance of traffic.
As it is apparent, winter does not charm me. But there is one exception. The only reason winter is worth waiting for, in my opinion, is pitha.
I hate winter season. But I love pitha. It is hard for a Bangladeshi not to. The fascination with pitha has existed among Bengalis for centuries and is now probably inscribed in our genes!
Niaz Zaman in her book ‘Bosha Bhat to Biriyani: The Legacy of Bangladeshi Cuisine’ mentions a reference to pitha in the seventeenth century Mymensingh ballad, Kajal-Rekha:
Nanajati pitha karey gandhey amodita
Chandrapuli karey kanya chandrer akrita…
The Mymensingh ballads mention a variety of pithas. This variety is seen during pitha fests.
I hate winter season. But I love how it makes people come together – to go to picnics, to take part in barbeque parties, and of course, to enjoy pitha fests.
Many companies and clubs hold pitha fests, where you will come with friends, colleagues and family to spend a delightful time savouring a wide array of pithas.
Yet another kind of pitha fest, the one that is more personal, happens athomes – during family get-togethers.