[ Durga Puja Festival ] I am a person who enjoys every festival that takes place on earth. In Bangladesh, we get to celebrate the Muslim and Hindu festivals more. Durga Puja Festival is something that makes me happy instantly. When I was young my maternal grandmother’s house used to be in old Dhaka, a place called Hatkhola. There was a school called Narishikkha Mandir just beside my cousin’s house. As the boundary wall was half broken we could always go to the school without any permission. Especially on Puja days we used to go and enjoy the festivities. Old…
[ Chocolate cup cake ! ] I have been baking like a mad person for last 4 days. I have a big order and hence the madness. My hands are aching and can sleep for hours, I am so tired. While working on my cakes I decided to give a post on chocolate cup cakes. I have tired a zillion recipes, I still try new chocolate cake recipes whenever I get one. Hence I have come to a conclusion there is nothing called a perfect chocolate cake recipe. I like the chocolate cake that has, chocolate and coffee bitterness,…
[ Peace, love and happiness] Blissful and calmI may not be a very religious person but I am a spiritual person. I prefer to meditate, do yoga and have small rituals that helps my mind to be calm and feel peaceful inside and out. Spirituality is not a belief but it is a lifestyle. We have to liberate our mind and be aware of all the happenings around us. Spirituality is our inner voice, it helps us to see through things better. I live in a small apartment and it is not possible for me to have a room to…
[ Tea Ceremony: Office green tea ] My brother is out for a vacation and I am left alone to do the tea story for this week. As I have very little tea exposure, thus I have decided to talk about the green tea I drink in office. In fact it was the last bag of tea from that lot. My sweet colleague Shiropa gave me few bags of green tea few months back. I used to drink that, once in a while in office. Like most green teas, it was very refreshing and also had a strong taste. In…
A reflective journey into aromatherapy benefits—how scent, memory, and ritual shape healing, calm, and everyday life through essential oils. Discovering Aromatherapy Benefits It didn’t begin as a grand decision. It rarely does. It began, almost accidentally, about ten years ago—one of those evenings when you scroll without purpose and suddenly something pauses you. The words aromatherapy benefits appeared on a screen, surrounded by promises of healing, calm, and something softer than the hurried life we often live. At that time, I was not looking for transformation. I was simply looking for relief—for my skin, for my fatigue, perhaps for something…
Wardrobe makeover : I usually wear kurti from Westside, (an Indian store) everyday. I wear it to work, to dinners, malls, hangouts and everywhere else I go. Lose, comfortable cotton wear is basically what I choose to wear. I have been repeating the same kind of clothes for the last 13 years, non-stop. I am tired. I am tired of looking dull and same for over and over again. I am fat, which is another reason that I stick to my trusted kurtis. However few days back, I while I was getting ready for office I took out one of…
[ Tea Ceremony: Gyokuro the great ] I didn’t know what Gyokuro is, so when Mishael told me, he is trying out Gyokuro I was pretty nonchalant. While I was preparing the photo session, Mishael explained, what Gyokuro really is, and why I should be really excited to taste such amazing tea. I guess he was disgusted to see me unexcited. I mean, I am usually very excited when we shoot and do the ceremony, but for Gyokuro you need to be overly excited, which I wasn’t. He went on, “Gyokuro is not an everyday tea. This is one of…
Aamra Pickle ! Aamra (June plum or dondong) a local fruit you get almost everyday of the year but to get the best kind, look for it now. Sharaat gives you some of the best Bangladeshi fruits like peyara (guava), aamra and aata (custard apple). I have already made 60 jars of guava jam as a part of my preserving ritual. Now it is the turn for aamra. Aamra, a natural source of vitamin C. This is rich with antioxidant properties which help to prevent various types of cancer, improves digestion and immune system. Aamra makes excellent pickle. It has a…
Beauty essentials ! Hey people, how have you been? I just got back from a quick two days visit to Kushtia. It was refreshing, fun filled trip and I met many new people too. I had traveled extensively and been to beautiful places. After coming back from the trip, I am just sleeping, having tons of tea and restoring my skin that got sun burnt, accumulated huge amount of dust and what not. While I was cleaning and moistening my face this morning, I decided to share the things lately I have been using. I have been using these…
Tea Ceremony: Hibiscus tea and green tea fusion ! It is time for tea. I don’t know about you but I wait all week for Friday. These days I wait for weekend, for more than one reason. Of course one is, it is my only day off in the entire week. Another is for the tea ceremony. I love the time I spend on Friday morning with my brother making tea. My brother aka tea connoisseur Mishael got down around 11 am and we began. Did I tell you that I bought this new whistle kettle only for our tea…
