Winter cake

• Is there any Bengali who does not like to eat cake? You must also want to eat cake. When winter came, there was a rush to make cakes in every house in Bengal. Hundreds of types of cakes that are made in this country! The winter of Bengal and the cake seem to be tied together. The work of making pitha started as soon as new paddy was grown in the farmer's house in autumn. It continues throughout the winter. In winter, date juice makes the cake more juicy and delicious. But not all cakes use date juice or date molasses. Most cakes are sweet, some cakes are salty. However, no matter what cake is made, the main ingredient in making the cake is rice powder. The new rice grew just before winter. So in Bangladesh most of the cakes are usually made in winter. Apart from that, some juice cakes create a different taste in winter frosts, cakes made in cold weather stay good for a long time.

Pie is an essential element of Bengali life and culture. Over the years, various types of cakes have been arranged in every house in Bengal. However, the real time of pitha starts from autumn, with shirni and pitha made in Navanne. As the winter progresses, it gradually increases. Agrahayane, that is, after the harvest of new paddy in the autumn, the smoke of making cakes has gone down. One kind of cake is made in one region. The name of the same cake is also different in different regions. However, there are some cakes such as Chitoi pitha, Patisapta, Pulipitha, Nakshi pitha, Tele pitha etc. are made in almost all regions.


From left - Puli Pitha, Patisapta, Nakshi Pitha and Bara Pitha

Even today, it is not possible to list the hundreds of types of cakes that are made in Bangladesh. It is believed that hundreds of types of cakes are made in this country. About ninety percent of the cakes are made in winter. Notable winter cakes include Chitoi pitha, Pakano pitha, Pakoyan pitha, Pakkon pitha, Patisapta, Kushali pitha, Bhapa pitha, Bhat pitha, Kata pitha, Nakshi pitha, Puli pitha, Dudh pitha, Lau Payes, Chit pitha, Lobang pitha. Gokul Pitha, Gargara Pitha, Mara Pitha, Mutha Pitha, Siddha Pitha, Putul Pitha, Lori Pitha, Chachi Pitha, Sagudana, Jhurisita, Tarajora, Jamai Pitha, Jamdani Pitha, Hadi Pitha, Pata Pitha, Tejpata Pitha, Televaja Pitha, Jhari , Fuljhuri pitha, bibiana pitha, chashi pitha, khandesha, golapful pitha, paata pitha, sabuj pitha, kek pitha, gulgula, fulkuchi, seoi pitha, clove pitha, khirdubi, khasta pitha, paper sandesh, kari pitha, sirinich pitha , Paisa pitha, sansar pitha, shingara pitha, bibikhana pitha, chand pakor, jhalpoya pitha, malpoya pitha, malbhog, khirkuli, malai pitha, coconut fried puli, coconut siddha puli, coconut jhuri pitha, pakon pitha, saaj pitha, telpoya pitha, Jhal Pitha, Biscuit Pitha, Crispy Pitha, Gaja, Ruti Pitha, Dudh Payes, Coolie Pie, Dudhkuli Pie, Jamai Coolie Pie, Jamdani Pie, Pot Pie, Chapri Pie, Chutki Pie, Raspuli, Kata Pie, Murali Pie, Khandash, Paisa Pie, Chusi Pie etc. are some of them.


Banana cake, glitter cake, gargara cake

The same cake is again a name in one region. In this country, cakes are made just for eating. Cakes are also made on the occasion of various occasions. For example, Bibiana cake is made to welcome the new son-in-law. For this, another name of this cake is jamai bhulano pitha. Nakshi pie is the most beautiful of all cakes. Round, oval, square, triangular etc. Nakshi cakes of various sizes are made in this country. Vapa and Chitoi pitha are now made in almost all regions of this country. Chitoi pitha is made by mixing date juice with chitoi juice and milk chitoi is mixed with milk. Somewhere Chitoi pitha is also known as Kachikhucha pitha. These two cakes have now become popular with the people of the city. During the winter, these cakes are made and sold by the side of the road in the city. For this, foreigners have named these cakes as street cakes. In winter, various cake fairs and cake festivals are organized in different cities.

Even after collecting information from different parts of the country, it was not possible to specify it. The names of notable cakes in some areas of this country are mentioned in List 1. The cake fair held at the Shishu Academy premises in 1991 showcased 108 types of pies from Bangladesh. The cake is usually made for guests, nabanna, poushasankranti, chaitrasankranti, khamai khawa, biye, khatna, jamai chadri etc. There are many traditions in our culture about making and eating cakes. For example, among the early Muslim Dhakaites, it is customary to feed a pregnant woman for seven months or perform Satsha. On that day, five types of long and round cakes were made and the pregnant woman was allowed to eat them in a dish. Closing her eyes, the pregnant woman was asked to pick up a cake from the cake. Their folk custom is that if a pregnant woman makes a long cake, she will be a boy, if she makes a round cake, she will be a girl.


Steamed cake, button cake and rose cake

From ancient times the pitha was a wonderful folk art of the village girls, an impeccable and neat form of folk art of this country that emerged through the pitha. The girls of this country used to show their skills by making cakes like nakshi sewing, weaving, making folk materials etc. But now it is sad but true that where is the time for the girls of this period? Apart from that, they are also things to learn. I want to inherit it. What is the need without it? When guests come to the house, now there are sweets in the tea-biscuit shop. Who can go so hard to keep the simple entertainment? In the past, cakes were made for special occasions even though they were not at home all year round, but now those ceremonies are not done. So there is no style of worship and vows. The food also comes to the shops for the big festivals