In Bangladesh winter days are not wintry days. Winter in Bangladesh is pleasant, eagerly awaited and planned for. The autumn season passes off almost unnoticed in this country. But if nature had shortchanged us in one way, she has compensated by giving a balmy buoyant winter. The Bengali month of Kartik, that is early winter, is celebrated by poet Jibanananda Das in his poetry as a period that reveals the inner beauty and soul of Bengal . Kartik is now over and even the month of Agrahayan is more than half-way through. Winter has now fully set in. The sun-bathed fields and farms look as serene as though they were flooded by moonlight. The fog and mist lend an added mystery to the quiet beauty. It is another irony that winter days are short but crowded with activities. Outings, picnics, educational and religious programmes, even political activities receive a fresh spurt during winter.

The gift of winter is also manifested on the dining table. New vegetables arrive, supply of fishes is somewhat better and even poor people can look forward to an occasional hearty meal. The foggy morning will be flavored by the steaming hot Pitha (sweet pie) made from ground rice and seasonal date-palm molasses.