STUFF OF fairytales…

THERE is a certain nostalgic pull to suburban towns and villages that make you fall in love with them time and again. Especially now in winter.

The long stretch of green fields dotted with rich yellow mustard, bordered with the ever lush golden paddy, the easy going villagers, the bustling village gathering under the banyan, the busy tea stall around the corner, the sumptuous rice cakes, the carefree children and oh that lovely smell of the soil…

Gram Bangla as we city folks call it, has its own luxuriant bewitching effect on us making us long for a retreat to these not-so-spoilt parishes.

On a weekend, or these upcoming holidays, if you are tired of hanging out with friends or going to the same restaurants, then try to take day trips to the outskirts of the city. You can just drive through Dhaka to its suburbs and small towns or villages, passing through green fields with no particular destination in mind, simply absorbing the tranquillity around. Take time to stop at roadside dingy cafes for hot tea and puris or opt for lunch at wayside inns, and you'll be amazed to find that their food is quite sumptuous, solely because they are prepared from fresh produce bought literally off the vegetable beds. Make sure you have two drivers in the car otherwise such aimless driving can be a little too hectic.

If you are organised and want to have everything in order, try visiting family or friends ancestral homes that are well maintained; it would be sort of a picnic. These ancient nawab baris or small rajaer baris or miah baris and talukdar baris add that element of fantasy to your trips, taking you back in time. It would be an added bonus if such friends were arranging ananda melas or poush melas in their ancestral homes. Then you can safely say that you been to the land of the fairies, because nostalgia, mingled with figments from the past grand life make such trips ever so romantic.

After all winter is all about picnics and adventurous trips and taking breaks besides attending weddings and get together parties that is.

One such nice quite place Lifestyle visited recently was in Singair and particularly Paril Noadha, a quiet little village. This especial trip to the sleepy village took us to a picturesque 19th-century Miah bari. Dr. Noazesh Ahmed arranged a colourful ananda mela for his friends at his Miah Bari in Paril. Most of the pictures in this page are of his idyllic village and his grand home.

Today's lifestyle is all about travel we hope that readers would try out a few of our suggestions and have fun this holiday season.

Story & Photo By Raffat Binte Rashid
Thanks to Tanzeem and Chumki for trusting to pose for amateur photographers.