TTL did it again. Thanks again to Shudipto for organising this, and also thanks to so many participants for making this a success.
Tt was such a warm day; and should I mention the massive traffic on the road? Yet, many of us did manage to reach Chawak Bazar in time to catch the busiest hours. The gathering place was at BUET (Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology); not too far from the old part of the city. Our aim was Chawk Bazar, the place known for its Iftar Market during the month of Ramadan. Iftar is what conclusion of day-long fasting ritual.
Iftar is a religious thing. But Iftar market? And Chawk Bazar? Its more like a tradition than anything else. The name of this Iftar market is known to most. Known because of its traditional items; items that make this market unique. Top of the list is the item called "Boro Baper Polay Khay" or literally translated "Eaten by Big Daddy's Son". However weird the name sounds, it is the top-most attraction of this market.
I spent around an hour on the street, while others spent a bit more or less time depending on arrival. Reuters photographer Andrew Biraj was also there; though he wasn't really part of our mostly amateur group.
The Iftar market is on a small piece of road clearing among the densely populated areas of Old Dhaka; adjacent to the southern boundary of Central Jail. Even though this is a small piece land, its important is always prime; and its regularly under the media coverage. We saw cameras and reporters from Ekushey TV there when we were about to return.
It was a nice short photowalk there; covering one of the cultural pieces of Ramadan. We bought some items from the market and left for BUET campus once again. We had a pretty grand Iftar there together. It wasn't just a hunt for photos. It was a warm day and most of us were fasting. Being able to meet a lot of friends, and to share some light moments was worth the effort.
Here are some of the moments captured during the "Iftar-walk".
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| From Chawk Bazar Iftar Market, Dhaka, August 2009 |
Transactions........01
Hygiene has always been an issue here..... monetary transactions take priority over cleanliness!!
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| From Chawk Bazar Iftar Market, Dhaka, August 2009 |
Transactions........02
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| From Chawk Bazar Iftar Market, Dhaka, August 2009 |
Transactions........03
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| From Chawk Bazar Iftar Market, Dhaka, August 2009 |
The calling.......01
Whats in a market without some hustle-bustle?..... the old man at the helm of the main attraction "Boro Baper Polay Khay" tries his best to make enough noise...... he has to make sure that his' is the central attraction of the market.....
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| From Chawk Bazar Iftar Market, Dhaka, August 2009 |
The display..........
Displays play a big role in the overall marketing...... making the items look succulent is a constant effort......
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| From Chawk Bazar Iftar Market, Dhaka, August 2009 |
The grab..........01
Iftar is never complete without the inclusion of dates...... this mainly Middle-eastern fruit has been traditionally associated with Islamic food, especially Iftar
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| From Chawk Bazar Iftar Market, Dhaka, August 2009 |
The grab..........02
Sweets were in high demand.......
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| From Chawk Bazar Iftar Market, Dhaka, August 2009 |
The scales.........
Keeping to the promise of right measurement has always been under debate...... this issue had appeared in a lot of verses to motivate Muslims to be fair.....
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| From Chawk Bazar Iftar Market, Dhaka, August 2009 |
The calling.......02
"Shuti Kabab" is another traditional item being one of the centre-pieces of the Iftar market.........
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| From Chawk Bazar Iftar Market, Dhaka, August 2009 |
The grab..........03
Of the sweets that are sold locally, perhaps the most popular is "Jilapi"..... Old Dhaka boasts with some of the most unique "Jilapi" items, including the really big ones on display here........
