Durga Puja has been for centuries an occasion to rejoice, a festival celebrated by the masses irrespective of religious beliefs. With everyone preparing the most traditional platters throughout the days that mark the final homecoming, there is plenty of scope to go for slight deviations.

With the festive mood of Durga Puja in full swing, there is no better time than this to try out the following recipes, straight from the kitchen of Dhaka Regency Hotel & Resort, by their Director of Food & Beverages, ATM Ahmed Hossain.

This Durga Puja holidays, Dhaka Regency Hotel & Resort is celebrating diversity by extending its buffet dinner at the hotel's all day dining outlet Grandiose Restaurant with a special Sharodiya Corner.

International tourist numbers grew 6.0 per cent in the first half of 2018, with southern Europe and southeast Asia posting the biggest growth, due to the upturn in the global economy, the UN World Tourism Organization says.

Hey, what's your star sign?

Even though many claim global warming and the entire concept of climate change to be a hoax, it is very evident how global warming is causing various disrupting changes around us.

The true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son, who was inspired by the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry, against his father's wishes.

As the visit to mountains and sea let us feel and realise their magnificence, the third epitome could be Stonehenge, an English world heritage site.

The other day, I ran across an old friend, a charming elderly gentleman, who is well known for his charm and impeccable manners. I happened to ask him about his aches and pains. "Oh, there are so many that if we start talking about them, it will take all day," he said, waving it away with a smile.

Khazana restaurant calls upon all the food lovers of Dhaka to experience the incredible diversity of Peshawari cuisine. They are arranging a “Kahani Ek Swaad Ki” with the Peshawari Food Festival, lasting till 14 October, 2018.

Do you ever feel like your mind is enveloping you in a hug, and not the nice, warm one, but a tight, suffocating hug that constricts your breathing, makes your skin sweat or your heart race in fear?

Growing up Durga Puja always felt like a much-dreaded annual feat. I would usually start pacing myself for the last four days that a younger hormonal me would sum in three words, “heat, traffic and gatherings”.

Uzbekistan is used to hosting tourists from all across the globe, but they have yet to show many Bangladeshis the beauty, diversity and versatility the country has in store.

The Dhakaite's palate was further polished with the advent of the café culture and now, people either crave for a black, sugar-free coffee, or the multitude of flavoured ones, as opposed to the 3-in-one Nescafe affair from about a decade ago.

1 October marks the International Coffee Day, and Le Meridien Dhaka has been celebrating this day from the time it started way back in 2015.

Occurring annually, Durga Puja has always been one of the largest and most colourful festivals in Bangladesh. It marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura, after ten days and nine nights of battling him.

Keeping Durga Puja as their centre of focus, fashion house Megh has brought out panjabis and t-shirts for boys, kameez sets for girls and fatuas, frocks and t-shirts for younger children.

For this week, as Mahalaya is upon us and Durga has descended on this mortal plane on a horse, Star Lifestyle presents to you a quintessential fashion planner for the most festive four days of the puja.

Fashion brand Artizan now has a new collection of shirts, polo shirts, t-shirts, pants and panjabis. Made with comfortable fabric, the clothes ooze diversity in design.

When we think of October, besides the obvious never-ending heat and unforgiving bouts of rain, there is also Durga Puja to look forward to. The preparations start a month earlier with the changing architecture of the city, not just around the temples but everywhere else with mandaps (dias/stages) being erected and a festive feel sealing the air.