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Bangla Hues

Culture, memory and the art of living.

  • About: Paula
  • About: Paula
  • Rumi
    Books, Faith & Contemplation

    Impossible Rumi, My 800-Year-Old Lover

    September 15, 2026 - By Aziza Ahmed Paula

    Explore Rumi through love, longing, Shams of Tabriz and the Buddha—an intimate reflection on mysticism, ego, awakening and the Divine Beloved. Zabān-e-yār-e-man Turkī wa man Turkī namī-dānam. The language of my beloved is Turkish, and I do not know Turkish. There is an old Persian line, commonly circulated in the orbit of Amir Khusrau, that has stayed with me for years because it describes something far larger than the inconvenience of not knowing somebody’s language. It describes the strange predicament of love itself: the beloved speaks, you do not entirely understand, and yet something in you understands before understanding becomes…

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    Illustration of everyday workers including a security guard, therapist, barber, bookseller, and housemaid, representing grief for the ordinary people who quietly become part of our lives.

    The Unspoken Grief of Losing the Familiar Faces

    August 23, 2026
    Buddha

    Buddha: The Blessed One Who Became My Quiet Home

    August 7, 2026
    Jibanananda Das portrayed in a surreal, psychedelic collage inspired by his poetry, surrounded by owls, bats, frogs, porcupines, rivers, twilight skies, manuscripts, and dreamlike landscapes that reflect the haunting metaphors, solitude, memory, and mystical imagination of the legendary Bengali poet.

    Jibanananda Das: Why I Find Him the Most Impossible Poet

    July 4, 2026
  • How to Be a Dhaka Woman — a vibrant collage of Dhaka culture featuring a Dhaka woman, Shilpakala Academy, North End coffee, a local tea stall, colourful rickshaws, fuchka, chotpoti, cultural events and the city skyline.
    Midlife & the Art of Living

    How to Be a Dhaka Woman: 1 Guide, 100 Contradictions and Plenty of Courage

    September 7, 2026 - By Aziza Ahmed Paula

    How to be a Dhaka woman: a witty, affectionate guide to Dhaka life, from traffic, North End coffee and fuchka to Jamdani, theatre, weddings, online shopping, protests and the glorious contradictions of the women who make this city their own. [A small disclaimer before we begin: This is satire, not sociology. There is no single kind of Dhaka woman, and this piece is certainly not an attempt to stereotype the millions of women whose lives, circumstances, beliefs and choices make Dhaka what it is. A Dhaka woman may wear a saree, jeans, hijab or office ID card; she may spend…

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    The Last Crab Before Australia

    Cherished Last Spicy Crab Before Australia

    July 25, 2026
    Traditional jewelry revival

    Traditional Jewelry Revival: Statement Necklaces, Kacher Churi, and the Return of Ornament

    May 10, 2026
    Midlife Skill Learning

    Midlife Skill Learning: Starting Anew at 50 and Finding Meaning Again

    April 10, 2026
  • A vintage-style cover illustration titled “BENGALI” depicts a serene river winding through the Bengal delta, surrounded by historical architecture, a Baul musician, a woman reading, ancient manuscripts, folk art, pottery, and Bengali script, symbolizing the history, culture, and enduring soul of Bengal.
    Bangali Life & Memory

    Unfolding True Essence of Bengali Identity

    August 31, 2026 - By Aziza Ahmed Paula

    Explore the profound and resilient nature of Bengali identity, tracing its roots through history, culture, and the fluid landscape of the delta. Ever feel like history is just a bunch of dusty dates? Sometimes, it hits differently. It starts shaping our “now” in ways we can’t ignore. We’re out here debating more than just facts; we’re questioning the literal vibe of our Bengali identity. Every generation inherits a new version of the same origin story, and instead of a shared culture, the past can feel like a total battlefield for today’s big ideas. I see this happening right now in…

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    Maha Rani Hemanta Kumari Devi

    Hemanta Kumari Devi: One Forgotten Queen

    July 19, 2026
    Bengali Slokas: The Forgotten Wisdom of Ancient Bengal

    Bengali Slokas: The Extraordinary Wisdom of Ancient Bengal

    June 20, 2026
    Summer in Bangladesh

    Timeless Summer Lessons from Bangladesh’s Forgotten Kitchens

    June 10, 2026
  • Illustration of everyday workers including a security guard, therapist, barber, bookseller, and housemaid, representing grief for the ordinary people who quietly become part of our lives.
    Books, Faith & Contemplation

    The Unspoken Grief of Losing the Familiar Faces

    August 23, 2026 - By Aziza Ahmed Paula

    Grief…. we know how to grieve family and friends, but what about the therapist, hairdresser, guard, bookseller, or housemaid who quietly became part of our lives? This essay explores the grief we rarely speak about and the gentle ways we can honour those who stood just outside our family circle but left a lasting place in our hearts. Just a few days ago, our family’s acupressure therapist passed away. For almost twenty years, he had been only a phone call away whenever someone in our family suffered from back pain, frozen shoulders, muscle spasms, headaches, or simply the aches that…

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    Rumi

    Impossible Rumi, My 800-Year-Old Lover

    September 15, 2026
    Buddha

    Buddha: The Blessed One Who Became My Quiet Home

    August 7, 2026
    Jibanananda Das portrayed in a surreal, psychedelic collage inspired by his poetry, surrounded by owls, bats, frogs, porcupines, rivers, twilight skies, manuscripts, and dreamlike landscapes that reflect the haunting metaphors, solitude, memory, and mystical imagination of the legendary Bengali poet.

    Jibanananda Das: Why I Find Him the Most Impossible Poet

    July 4, 2026
  • A serene and symbolic illustration of happiness as a way of life, featuring a peaceful home surrounded by lush gardens, blooming flowers, books, meditation, nature, and the sun and moon in harmonious balance. A solitary figure sits in quiet contemplation at the center, representing inner peace, love, beauty, and connection with the natural world. The artwork has a clean, dreamlike psychedelic aesthetic with soft luminous colors, conveying happiness, mindfulness, home, spirituality, and everyday rituals as a unified philosophy of life. The word
    Happiness

    Final Chapter: Happiness as Sadhana

    August 16, 2026 - By Aziza Ahmed Paula

    Happiness is not a passing emotion but a lifelong sadhana shaped by love, home, nature, beauty, work and daily acts of reverence. This concluding reflection explores happiness as a personal philosophy of living fully within the ordinary world. Writing this series has taught me that happiness is far more difficult to explain than to experience. I began with the intention of understanding why happiness matters, why it feels elusive, and how it may be cultivated through habit, knowledge, health, home, ritual and attention. Yet as I moved from one chapter to another, I realised that happiness cannot be separated into…

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    Practices that anchor happiness through journaling, meditation, movement, home rituals, reading, cooking, and simple daily routines.

    Chapter 5: Happiness Begins with Practice

    July 31, 2026
    Foundations of Happiness: Building a Life That Supports Well-Being

    Chapter 4: Happiness Foundations: Building a Life That Supports Well-Being

    July 12, 2026
    Are you happy?

    Chapter 3: The Hidden Truth About Happiness: Why Happiness Is Difficult Today

    June 30, 2026
  • Buddha
    Books, Faith & Contemplation

    Buddha: The Blessed One Who Became My Quiet Home

    August 7, 2026 - By Aziza Ahmed Paula

    Discover my personal journey with Buddha, from childhood to daily practice, the history of Buddha in Bengal, and how his teachings transformed my life. Buddha: My Quiet Place in a Restless World Some people discover Buddha through philosophy. Others meet him during grief, illness, or loss. I honestly cannot remember how he entered my life because, as far back as my memory reaches, he has always been there. Every home I have lived in has had a Buddha figure somewhere nearby, quietly watching over my days without asking for anything in return. As a child I never thought deeply about…

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    Rumi

    Impossible Rumi, My 800-Year-Old Lover

    September 15, 2026
    Illustration of everyday workers including a security guard, therapist, barber, bookseller, and housemaid, representing grief for the ordinary people who quietly become part of our lives.

    The Unspoken Grief of Losing the Familiar Faces

    August 23, 2026
    Jibanananda Das portrayed in a surreal, psychedelic collage inspired by his poetry, surrounded by owls, bats, frogs, porcupines, rivers, twilight skies, manuscripts, and dreamlike landscapes that reflect the haunting metaphors, solitude, memory, and mystical imagination of the legendary Bengali poet.

    Jibanananda Das: Why I Find Him the Most Impossible Poet

    July 4, 2026
  • Practices that anchor happiness through journaling, meditation, movement, home rituals, reading, cooking, and simple daily routines.
    Happiness

    Chapter 5: Happiness Begins with Practice

    July 31, 2026 - By Aziza Ahmed Paula

    Happiness is not built through inspiration alone but through daily practice. Discover how writing, reading, reflection, and meaningful rituals create lasting happiness and a life filled with purpose. Turning Philosophy into Everyday Life The first four chapters have explored what happiness is, why it matters, why it often feels difficult in modern life, and the foundations upon which it quietly grows. We have seen that happiness is not an accident, nor is it reserved for fortunate people. It is built through awareness, meaningful relationships, a peaceful home, good health, and an understanding of ourselves. Knowledge that is never practiced slowly…

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    A serene and symbolic illustration of happiness as a way of life, featuring a peaceful home surrounded by lush gardens, blooming flowers, books, meditation, nature, and the sun and moon in harmonious balance. A solitary figure sits in quiet contemplation at the center, representing inner peace, love, beauty, and connection with the natural world. The artwork has a clean, dreamlike psychedelic aesthetic with soft luminous colors, conveying happiness, mindfulness, home, spirituality, and everyday rituals as a unified philosophy of life. The word

    Final Chapter: Happiness as Sadhana

    August 16, 2026
    Foundations of Happiness: Building a Life That Supports Well-Being

    Chapter 4: Happiness Foundations: Building a Life That Supports Well-Being

    July 12, 2026
    Are you happy?

    Chapter 3: The Hidden Truth About Happiness: Why Happiness Is Difficult Today

    June 30, 2026
  • The Last Crab Before Australia
    Midlife & the Art of Living

    Cherished Last Spicy Crab Before Australia

    July 25, 2026 - By Aziza Ahmed Paula

    Learn how to make Spicy Butter Garlic Crab with butter, garlic, ginger, chili, soy sauce, smoked paprika, and lemon. An easy crab recipe packed with flavour. The bowl arrived at the table looking exactly as a crab dish should. There was no elegant plating, no artistic arrangement, and certainly no attempt at sophistication. The shells were piled high, stained red with paprika and chili, glistening with butter, garlic, and sauce. It looked gloriously messy, the kind of food that demands both hands and leaves evidence of itself on every napkin within reach. I had spent the morning cleaning the baby…

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    How to Be a Dhaka Woman — a vibrant collage of Dhaka culture featuring a Dhaka woman, Shilpakala Academy, North End coffee, a local tea stall, colourful rickshaws, fuchka, chotpoti, cultural events and the city skyline.

    How to Be a Dhaka Woman: 1 Guide, 100 Contradictions and Plenty of Courage

    September 7, 2026
    Traditional jewelry revival

    Traditional Jewelry Revival: Statement Necklaces, Kacher Churi, and the Return of Ornament

    May 10, 2026
    Midlife Skill Learning

    Midlife Skill Learning: Starting Anew at 50 and Finding Meaning Again

    April 10, 2026
  • Maha Rani Hemanta Kumari Devi
    Bangali Life & Memory

    Hemanta Kumari Devi: One Forgotten Queen

    July 19, 2026 - By Aziza Ahmed Paula

    A personal journey through Puthia Palace and the life of Maharani Hemanta Kumari Devi, where history, architecture, memory, and imagination meet in one of Bengal’s most remarkable heritage sites. I have always fallen in love rather easily. Not only with people, but with stories, places, books, old houses, paintings, rivers, and forgotten corners of the world. Some places remain destinations; others become companions. Long before I ever visited Puthia, I had been reading about it. I knew of the palace with its huge columns, the temple complex, the ponds, the queens, and the history of one of Bengal’s most influential…

    Continue Reading

    Related Posts

    A vintage-style cover illustration titled “BENGALI” depicts a serene river winding through the Bengal delta, surrounded by historical architecture, a Baul musician, a woman reading, ancient manuscripts, folk art, pottery, and Bengali script, symbolizing the history, culture, and enduring soul of Bengal.

    Unfolding True Essence of Bengali Identity

    August 31, 2026
    Bengali Slokas: The Forgotten Wisdom of Ancient Bengal

    Bengali Slokas: The Extraordinary Wisdom of Ancient Bengal

    June 20, 2026
    Summer in Bangladesh

    Timeless Summer Lessons from Bangladesh’s Forgotten Kitchens

    June 10, 2026
  • Foundations of Happiness: Building a Life That Supports Well-Being
    Happiness

    Chapter 4: Happiness Foundations: Building a Life That Supports Well-Being

    July 12, 2026 - By Aziza Ahmed Paula

    Foundations of Happiness: Building a Life That Supports Well-Being Happiness is not an accident. Discover how knowledge, a nurturing home, healthy routines, and proper nourishment create the foundation for lasting happiness and inner peace. Happiness is often discussed as if it were a feeling that appears unexpectedly and disappears just as quickly. Yet when we look closely at the lives of people who seem deeply content, we notice something different. Their happiness is rarely built on luck or perfect circumstances. More often, it rests on a foundation of small, consistent practices that support both inner peace and outer order. There…

    Continue Reading

    Related Posts

    A serene and symbolic illustration of happiness as a way of life, featuring a peaceful home surrounded by lush gardens, blooming flowers, books, meditation, nature, and the sun and moon in harmonious balance. A solitary figure sits in quiet contemplation at the center, representing inner peace, love, beauty, and connection with the natural world. The artwork has a clean, dreamlike psychedelic aesthetic with soft luminous colors, conveying happiness, mindfulness, home, spirituality, and everyday rituals as a unified philosophy of life. The word

    Final Chapter: Happiness as Sadhana

    August 16, 2026
    Practices that anchor happiness through journaling, meditation, movement, home rituals, reading, cooking, and simple daily routines.

    Chapter 5: Happiness Begins with Practice

    July 31, 2026
    Are you happy?

    Chapter 3: The Hidden Truth About Happiness: Why Happiness Is Difficult Today

    June 30, 2026
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  • Impossible Rumi, My 800-Year-Old Lover
  • How to Be a Dhaka Woman: 1 Guide, 100 Contradictions and Plenty of Courage
  • Unfolding True Essence of Bengali Identity
  • The Unspoken Grief of Losing the Familiar Faces
  • Final Chapter: Happiness as Sadhana
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