Friday, March 29, 2013

My Encounters with the Creepy Crawlies


I have a mortal fear of any kind of living thing that crawls or flies. It can be a lizard, a cockroach, ants or even just mosquitoes.

And all the above are present in abundance in Dhaka due to the tropical and humid climate. During my first couple of months in Dhaka, I had to battle each one of these. And my fear has only increased manifold.

My encounter with the lizard was a heroic one. I returned one afternoon from a session of bridge at the Bagha CLub to find one black, big and slimy lizard clinging to the wall above the dining table in my house. I had been going towards the guest room when the hair on the nape of my neck bristled and as I swiveled my head to find out what had given me the creepy feeling, I found myself staring at the lizard. A half scream died in my throat as I saw the lizard move its tail. It seemed to me as if the lizard was poised, waiting to see what my reaction would be.

I called out to my maid in a strangled voice, not moving my eyes from the lizard. I had vague notions that the maid would be able to dispatch the lizard outside the house.She looked at the lizard and announced "it is a tik-tiki!", (using the bengali word for lizard) in a matter-of-fact voice. As if I needed confirmation of that fact. What I needed was action! 'Go get a broom quickly", I directed her. My words spurred her to action but to my critical eyes and in my frenzied state, her movements did not seem urgent enough.

But I had to be really naive to think that I would be able to tackle the huge lizard with just a broom.  The maid made a half hearted swipe at the lizard. And it reacted with disdain by just creeping a few inches away. I admonished the broom-wielding maid to be more alert and make sure that she hit the lizard this time. But the creepy crawly was just as ready! The momemt my maid raised the broom, it ran across the wall, then across another wall and before we could say "cheese", it had disappeared behind the air conditioner. It was uncanny how it seemed to know exactly where it wanted to go!

For a moment, there was silence-both the maid and me were too bemused to react. But my fear soon spurred me to action. I shrieked out "Go, get it! Hit with the broom on the A/C". Even while I said these words, I knew with a sinking heart that an opportunity had been lost. No amount of hitting the A/C with the broom; no amount of raising a din would bring the lizard out.

At this point, I placed a SOS call to my husband-that is all I could think to do! Though the logical part of me and the part that was not yet numbed with fear, knew that there was not much he could do. Hubby's office is in the other part of town from where we stay and at the best of times, it takes him half an hour to make the commute. When I told him about the unwanted guest at home, he instinctively offered me the usual platitudes about not worrying about it and that it will not harm me etc. Then hearing the quiver in my voice and knowing that I was probably at breaking point, he offered to send the maintenance guy from his office to open up the air conditioner and get the lizard out.

It was an agonizing wait for an hour, waiting for the maintenance guy to come. My maid and I took turns sitting at the dining table to ensure that if the lizard ever decided to come out of the air conditioner, we would know. Though how we would use this knowledge is a moot point. By now, my nerves were frayed and I was close to screaming point.

We had been waiting for almost an hour when the doorbell rang. It was Qadir, the maintenance guy. At last!

He came in looking very serious and made straight for the air conditioner. A ladder was fetched and he climbed onto it. With the help of a screwdriver, he prised open the air conditioner and after a heartstoppping 10 seconds of peering into the machine, he announced that there was no lizard. My heart sank lower-where had it gone? There was no way that it could have gone anywhere, considering that we had kept a constant vigil. "It has to be there," I murmured. And just then Qadir gave a yelp as the lizard ran out from the airconditioner. There was a mad scramble as the maid and Qadir tried to catch the lizard. For a few hearstopping seconds, it seemed as if the lizard would not be caught and would again run into the air conditioner-it was so fast! But  a timely dive by the brrom-wielding Qadir finally brought the lizard down!

Why am I writing about this after so many months? Well, just yesterday, I saw another lizard, this time in my bedroom! Luckily, hubby was at home and managed to push it out!

But it reminded me of this earlier incident and also the fact that with the onset of summer the lizards are also out of whereever they have been burrowing in the winter months and are looking for cooler climes. The last few months had been lizard free, primarlily because the weather outside was cooler. The guard will have to go up again!

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Framed in Dhaka!


If you are looking to get anything framed in Dhaka, then the only place to get them done is the Cezanne Art Gallery in the UAE shopping complex in Banani. The shop is located on the first floor and has been around for the last 26 years. Its owner Shamim Parvez knows his job and can be trusted to suggest the best frames for your pictures. He offers handmade frames, which are expensive but make a picture look really beautiful. I got two frames done from him.  

While at the gallery, you can check out the paintings that are available for sale. There are some really talented artists that are represented here. My favorites were the one depicting the Bangladesh landscape, river life and its streets. Their framing adds to their beauty.


Address
Cezanne Art Gallery
UAE Maitree Complex,
4, Kemal Ataturk Avenue,
Banani, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

A Golden Read

A Golden Age by Tahmima Anam is a novel set against the backdrop of the Liberation War that lead to the creation of Bangladesh. Through a description of  the trials and tribulations that a family and its neighbors suffer during the War, Anam has very skillfully given the readers a sense of the kind of deprivations and emotional upheavals that the Dhaka residents had to suffer during the war.



The book does not get into the politics of the war, but rather concentrates on personal tragedies and sacrifices that a war requires.The protagonist Rehana, is a widow and a single mother of two children Her children are her Universe. She would go to any lengths for her children and at one point in her life, she also steals so as to be able to keep her children with her in Dhaka. During the Liberation War, Rehana's children are at the threshold of adulthood and want to embrace the war efforts whole-hardheartedly. Initially, Rehana is reluctant to give up her children to the war efforts; but is powerless when circumstances and the stubbornness and persistence of her children force her hand. In fact, Rehana herself becomes unwittingly involved in the war efforts, but at all times her actions are directed by the fact that she wants to be close to her children.

Anam has successfully given a sense of the atrocities committed by the Pakistani army and the refugee crisis in the wake of the Liberation of War, without being graphical

The month of December is celebrated as the Liberation month in Bangladesh as the nation formally came into being on December 16, 1971. The Golden Age makes for a great read to get a start to understanding the reasons for the creation of Bangladesh and the passions of its people that made them go against all odds to fight for the preservation of a language and culture that they believed in.

Monday, December 3, 2012

The Gulshan Supermarket

Known as the Gulshan Paka market, this is the place where you can find everything-from a small needle to the latest in crockery and glassware. It is located at the Gulshan 1 Circle.

But be warned, you would be hard pressed to find anything manufactured in Bangladesh, though. Everything is imported from the Far East, China and India.  Therefore there are no fixed prices!

As you go from shop to shop, you are quoted different prices for the same product. Whenever you ask the price for a product to the shopkeeper, there is a slight pause as he tries to gauge you and quote what price he can charge you or what price you would be willing to pay. It is advisable to go from shop to shop comparing the prices of the products that you want to buy. You can then know at what price you can actually buy the product. It really pinches when for a biscuit pack, imported from India, which carries the printed price of Rs 20, you are asked to pay taka 60, which is more than double the price!!! Similarly, Kellogs cornflakes, which carries the printed price of Rs 135, you are asked to pay taka 460!! In another shop, for the same Kelloggs, the asking price was taka 420. See what I mean? So, it would help to move from shop to shop and see where the prices are the lowest!

There is no brand of healthcare, oral care or anything else that is not available in these markets, only if you are willing to look and bargain hard! The ground floor is devoted to vegetables, fruits, grains, cloth, and other household items. On the first floor, are the tinned foods, cosmetics, soaps etc.

Be prepared to be assailed by all sorts of smells and sights as you traverse through the market. Especially, for someone who is a vegetarian like me, the meat market can be very daunting to pass by. The press of people and the cacophony of voices, combined with the humidity and the haggling can make one want to turn tail and run!





Sunday, December 2, 2012

Pujo in Dhaka

Durga Pujo is the most important festival celebrated by Bengalis all over the world. Spread over five days, the Pujo celebrates the power of female Shakti symbolised by the Goddess Durga who slayed the demon Mahishasur to restablish peace and sanctity on the earth. Durga Pujo also includes the worship of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Ganpati and Kartikeya (Godess Durga's children).

As past of the modern traditions, the Pujo includes the display of decorated pandals and idols that are done artistically and beautifully. The process of creation of the idols for worship is supervised by rites and rituals. Fashioned out of clay, the eyes of the idols are painted on mahalya or the first day of Puja. It is a very auspicious time and before painting the eyes, the artisans fast for a day and eat only vegetarian food.The pujo begins with Mahalaya, inviting the Goddess to descend to Earth and be with her worshipers. 

On the seventh day from the Mahalaya, on Shaptami, Mother Durga ascends to the earth from her abode in the Himalayas and the ritual of Pran Pratashthan or breathing of life into the idol takes place.

Bangladesh, which comprises of 10% Hindus, also celebrates the festival with a lot of religious and cultural fervor  All over the country, there are more than 28000 instances of the Pujo celebrations, with Dhaka alone accounting for 200 pandals.

The Pujo celebration at the Dhakeshwari temple in Puran (old) Dhaka are beautiful with the Dhak (cylindrical drum) players  providing the perfect background score for the myriad religious rites. The temple is the main Hindu temple in Dhaka and dates from the 12th century. It is also the place, where the idols from the other pandals are brought togther on the tenth day of the celebration to begin the procession to the Sadarghat to be immersed in the waters of the Buriganga river. The immersion is symbolic of the fact that the mother goddess is returning to her abode in the Himalayas.

Apart from the Dhakeshwari temple, the other most popular destinations to catch a glimpse of the Pujo are the Jagannath Hall of the Dhaka University, Ramna Kali Mandir, Kalabagan ground, the banani grounds and the temples of Tanti Bazaar, Shankhari Bazaar and the Bangla Bazaar. 

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Blankadesh!


Winter has set in and it the temperature drops quite significantly in the evenings.

Blankadesh is a not for profit venture that makes blankets in beautiful colors that are just perfect for the winter nights. The lady who runs the enterprise is Erin and she ‘inherited’ the project when she landed in Dhaka. It was being done by someone else at the time and since the person was soon going to leave Bangladesh, Erin decided to step in.

Apart from providing employment to those involved in making the blankets, Blankadesh not only uses the proceeds from the sale of these blankets to support various initiatives but also for each blanket purchased, it donates one to the street children and their families.

They make good gifts for your staff. I gave them to the security personnel in my building, my driver, my house help and they greatly appreciated the gesture. And it was gratifying to see their wide smiles and happy faces.

Throughout this month, Blankadesh can be found at the various bazaars and events that will be taking place in Dhaka. Or one can even pick up the blankets from an address in Baridhara:

6 Park, Floor 3, (At the corner of Park and Road 4 in Baridhara)

The size of the blankets is just smaller than a double and the colors vary from bright (yellow, forest green, red, coral, turquoise ) and neutrals (navy, grey) etc.

So go out there, and wrap yourself in the warmth of 'Blankadesh' this winter!


Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Guide to Attending a Garment Sale in the Expat Circles of Dhaka!

Bangladesh, a small, relatively new nation, situated to the east of India can be found in the clothing stores located all around the world. A nation that is available in a store? What I mean is that ‘made in Bangladesh’ label can be found on most of the clothes sold in the leading branded clothing stores of the world. Bangladesh is a very important destination for garment manufacturers due to the cheap labour that is available in abundance here. Most of the leading clothing brands are manufactured in their units in Bangladesh.  


So, it is hardly surprising that garment sales are big events in Dhaka. Export surplus and export rejects find their way into the open market and there is a sale almost every week. Keeping track of such sales and attending them are an important event on any expat’s calendar in Dhaka. But, let me warn you, it is not for the faint hearted!

If this means that you have decided that you are never going to go to one, I would advise you to re-think! Once you have seen what your friends have bought at these sales and heard the bargain prices at which they managed to buy branded clothes; then you are going to cry your heart out and wring your hands in despair and regret!

The better and wiser thing to do would be to prepare oneself for the sale. I will attempt to outline here what has to be done!!

The day before the sale

 Check your wardrobe and get an idea about what sizes you wear in trousers, shirts and t-shirts. Also try to make a list of any cousins, nieces, nephews and sundry relatives and friends who you think would appreciate a gift of branded clothes items. Again make an estimate of their sizes.

Ask around and see if you can team up with some other friends to go to the sale. Preferably, if they wear sizes different from you, there will be no conflict of interest (you will understand later why this is important)!

Find the biggest bag available in your house, preferably with a wide mouth so that all the clothes can just be dumped into them. As preparation for the sale, you must try to retain a few of the cardboard cartons/ boxes that carried your cargo when you came- they are ideal for a garment sale!

On the morning of the D-Day

After a good night’s sleep, make sure to have a healthy breakfast and drink lots of liquids. Tie up your hair and wear loose, comfortable clothing. Trust me; you don’t want any kind of distraction!

Arrive at the destination at least 30 minutes before the advertised opening time. Take deep breaths and stay focused.

As soon as the gates open, be prepared to elbow your way to the tables groaning under the weight of the clothes. This is not the time to think “I can’t be rude and push and pull!!”

Do the ‘sweep into the carton routine’-Corner the mound of clothes on the table by putting your arms around it and drop them into your huge shopping bags or cartons. Again, this is not the time to think whether the clothes are your style, color or size! Go around the tables staking your claim to as many clothes as possible. While doing this routine, it helps if you are with a group of friends; it makes the ‘sweeping into the carton’ routine easier!

The next step is to then carry your cartons/bags, laden with clothes to a corner and start sorting through the clothes, one at a time. Camaraderie among friends can make this experience very special. If all you friends sorting through the same carton have different sizes, then there is likely to be no heartburn as two of you will not be vying for the same top/trouser. As you sort, keep discarding the clothes that you/your group do not need on the tables.

Finally, when you are done, before going for making your payment, take a last walk around the tables to see if there is something more that you can take for yourself! There would be others like you, who have discarded the sizes that did not fit them and you might just get lucky!

Aftermath of the Sale

Once you are home and actually try out the clothes, you may face some disappointment as some of them may not actually be the style you hoped for or the size that fits you. But you can always make gifts of such clothes; it is easy to be generous when you are paying a fraction of the cost at which these branded clothes would be available at the stores.

Sit back and relax! Think of all the envious looks that will come your way when you wear your latest purchases. You have earned yourself a session at your favourite spa!

Statutory warning:

If you do not follow this step by step guide, you are likely to suffer from a feeling of low self-esteem and deep regret and sorrow!