Sobita Modi, a woman in her early fifties, had to take charge of her life with no aid from anyone else. Having to raise her children all by herself and ensure a proper education for all of them, she had to work relentlessly, weaving cane mats (shitol pati) and selling them to merchants at the district bazaar in Munshiganj.

But my Eid menu will be very simple — polao or beef tehari, Mughlai chicken korma or beef rezala, and gurer payesh and pantoa for desserts and Eid snacks.

I know I am not the only one feeling hopeless at the moment. However, I do believe that I have also found a nice way to divert my attention and boost my mind through all this.

With Eid fast approaching, you know you are in for a treat, as all the main dishes for lunch and dinner will be on form. But what about those moments in-between, when you do feel peckish, but can’t really handle the heavy main dishes?

There has been much talk about nutrition as a defence mechanism to reduce the chances of contracting the Coronavirus. How important is a change in our dietary intake towards fighting the virus?

Have you ever experienced an intense feeling of happiness washing over you after performing an act of kindness? If yes, then you are one of those who have felt what psychologists call the Helper’s High, an uplifting feeling that helps the mind, body, and spirit.

This Eid, let things go back to the old flow, and that is with a splurge on peach and pastels. For the evening homely events, we can always opt for the darker shades like brown, navy blue, black, olive green, and greys.

The holy month of Ramadan brings with it a fresh wave of festive cheer. It is a time of self-reflection, to focus on the soul rather than the body and an opportunity to reconnect with our faith.

In the Kingdom of Rain, in the land of breeze, life moved in the rhythm of liquid glass. There, the glass was always full, and the sky never fooled one about the forecast. The stability of such ways brought people no dismays.

The body is more than the sum of its parts. It is physical and energetic. Various parts of our body generate various frequencies and the body

Eid is truly a time of social mingling. A big part of that, is dressing to impress! For those of you who truly miss splurging on that exquisite sari or suit, looking for the perfect “wow” outfit is actually still very much possible.

The story of the humble jilapi starts with the Turkic invaders, even before the Mughals took over the subcontinent. A flour based twirled dessert, the jilapi is dunked in sugary syrup and devoured by the tens, and is the most sought-after sweets during iftar.

Prepare a decent meal, share whatever is in your stores. And if you feel like, don a piece that is special, if not new. Dress up in the morning, and get set to enjoy the company of loved ones virtually, thanks to technology which has made these tough times of isolation that much easier.

In times of self-isolation, every activity we would find worthwhile — watching films/series to playing video games to reading books to even testing up some new savoury recipes — seems to become tiresome at one point. No matter how many films or books we lap up, we constantly badger for the world outside the confines of our home.

Mothers are the epitome of love. So, celebrating ‘them’ for a just a day seemed illogical, but then a friend explained: there is nothing wrong in making her feel extra special!

A gift is a unique way to deliver love. Spending time choosing the appropriate souvenir, carefully wrapping it, and attaching a tag with a note that brings joy to the receiver is the package of love we term as a gift. It shows how much someone adores you.

Similarly, watermelon with mildly salty feta cheese sprinkled with Vietnamese basil is a match made in heaven. Caesar salad, coleslaw, shrimp cocktail, crunchy vegetables wraps in rice paper rolls are all dainty comforting snacks for summer iftars.

The House of Ahmed, in the time-span of eight months, has become the talk of the town with their premium yet intricate ethnic-wear pieces.

One of the best ways of combating Covid-19 is by practicing social distancing. Such times have seen a boost in online shopping, encouraging people to resort to the internet to make sure they can shop while avoiding the risk of coming in contact with crowd.

The panjabi — a timeless and traditional attire for any occasion, is an embodiment of the Bengali culture. Just as the sari is close to any woman’s heart, the panjabi bears the same essence for men.