The influence of winter in rural Bangladesh

Recently, life has become busier, and we have become more accustomed to modern life. As a result, many of us find it hard to gather as a group and head to the village. Even when we get a vacation suddenly, we often end up having a rooftop barbecue or a quick day trip. However, those who get the opportunity to rush to the village even for a short time, escaping the constraints of their busy lives, can still experience the joy of winter picnics and the warmth of genuine hospitality that they may have left behind.

I have already mentioned the various arrangements made during winter in rural life, but if I do not talk about how winter disrupts the rural people, then the full picture of winter in the village will remain incomplete. In the village, there is no warmth from an electric heater, no softness of a woolen blanket, or the promise of care from Vaseline or glycerin. Instead, the harshest and most intense form of winter is felt there. Village people endure the cold wrapped in handwoven shawls and mufflers. Instead of blankets that smell of naphthalene, rural folks wrap themselves in quilts made of silk cotton, infused with the fragrance of neem leaves, during the winter months. To ward off the cold, they warm their hands by the fire and keep a kerosene lamp or a piece of burning coal in a corner of the house. Since the majority of the people in rural settlements are laborers, and the burden of poverty is a constant presence in their lives, they have to rush to markets, fields, and other places even during the harshest winters. A very familiar sight on a winter morning in the village is Kalimuddin, the boatman, or Hasan from the fishermen’s neighborhood, walking along the edge of the field through the mist.

I mentioned earlier that the villages of Bengal are losing their original form due to the rapid changes taking place. That is why, perhaps, in some well-off households, people ward off the cold with warm blankets and buy winter clothes from stores. However, the harsh reality of the poor suffering during winter is still very apparent in the villages today. Even now, Kolimuddin and Hasan have to ignore the cold and rush to fight for survival. Their profession or means of livelihood might have changed. Kolimuddin might now be operating an engine instead of steering a boat, while Hasan might be considering catching fish with a current net. Yet, they rush along the edges of the fields on their cracked feet on fog-covered mornings.

Shamsur Rahman described the winter in the village as “an ascetic sage.” The poet did not say anything wrong. The bare attire of winter and the motionless nature remind us of meditation. While many things have changed, and some have faded away in the passage of time or the encroachment of modernity, the essence of rural life still carries childhood memories woven into every aspect of winter, a melody filled with affection that has been cherished over a lifetime. 

Winter season and winter preparations in rural life in Bangladesh

“How is winter in the village? How was the winter?” I was thinking about all these things while sitting in an air-conditioned room of a multi-story building. Without realizing it, my mind returned to a courtyard surrounded by shadows in the distant past. There, the smell of dried neem leaves emerged from the folds of the quilt at the beginning of winter. There, the preparation for winter is intertwined with afternoons of roasting peas and the steam of bhapa pitha (a traditional sweet). There, a dish of gourd and shoal fish curry is served on the plate with care. There, a flock of wild ducks flaps its wings in the quiet swamp forest on a winter evening. Winter in rural life speaks of another world, even hidden in the veil of poetry surrounded by mist and dew.

That is why every time I had the opportunity to experience a winter morning in the village during my childhood, I felt like this bone-chilling cold was the creation of a frail old woman. Unlike in cities, smoke and fog do not combine to form a “haze” there. Rather, a thick, flawless blanket of mist embraces the village with the utmost compassion. It is hard to see the sun in that semi-dark winter. The sound of dew droplets falling on the tin roof can be heard. Indeed, the water in the pond does not freeze like in Western countries, but those who have seen the stagnant face of a pond on a winter morning know that this scene is a unique element of this country’s winter.

The sun starts to spread its light after 9 or 10 am. The dew-drenched grass sparkles in that light. In the village, evening falls even before noon fades and afternoon arrives. With the arrival of winter, the length of the day becomes shorter, but this change can be clearly realized by sitting in the yard of a village house. The beauty of emptiness is one of the elements of winter in the village. In the winter season, we do not see the usual green nature in the village. Instead, the bare tree branches and dry leaves piled up in the yard highlight winter in its own glory. Perhaps thinking about this unique beauty spread in emptiness, rural poet Jasimuddin wrote, “Whom does winter’s ascetic remember, shedding her cloak of adornment?” Indeed, the rural nature is bare in winter.

Nowadays, even the nature of the village has been touched by urban life and the all-consuming influence of modernity. Still, when dawn breaks in rural areas sleeping under the severity of winter, nature surrounded by mist and the sound of dry leaves falling brings back memories of all the winter mornings left behind.

In rural life, the winter season means a festival gathering around the stove. The house, yard, and threshold are filled with the aroma of freshly ground rice and newly collected date palm sap. Mothers and aunts, as embodiments of affection, make handmade vermicelli (সেমাই) and decorative rice cakes (নকশি পিঠা). I remember how grandmothers would try to join the bhapa pitha together while sitting by the earthen stove on winter mornings with profound love. They would go to the kitchen at dawn, ignoring the intensity of winter, to prepare the dudh-chitoi (rice pancakes soaked in milk).

It is not just traditional Bengali rice cakes; there are many culinary delights and events around winter. In the evening, a juice pot would be hung on the date palm tree. The tree climbers would climb the tree to collect it before sunrise. At breakfast, that date palm juice had to be consumed in a large glass. Some people would go to the char areas. In winter, migratory birds and wild ducks would gather there. Domesticated swans were one of the items on the winter food list. And there were winter vegetables. The taste of vegetarian dishes made with cauliflower, cabbage, turnip, and bottle gourd, or the flavor of stir-fried small fish caught by leaving nets in the water all night, seemed to double in winter.

Perhaps nowadays, people no longer cook on earthen stoves in the villages. However, compared to the city, winter food there still means an abundance of much fresher foods. Handmade vermicelli or tree climbers may no longer be seen in the villages of Bangladesh, but you can still take a peek into the village kitchens. With utmost compassion, an octogenarian woman might still be making “chitoi” and “puli pitha” for her urban-dwelling grandchildren.

In rural life, the winter season means ‘naiyor’ (a visit to the parental home) and ‘kutumbakal’ (a family gathering). In the regional dialect, the winter season is described as the season of invitations and gatherings. During this time, wives go to their maternal homes for a holiday, and city-dwelling children return to the embrace of the village they left behind. The most wonderful portrayal of hospitality comes to life in the village during this season.

After many days, a lively gathering of friends and family occurs in the village courtyard. For a long time, I have seen that winter vacation meant an opportunity for cousins from both sides of the family to come together. A group of children would sit together in a row on an extended balcony on those winter mornings. Then, it was the morning of quickly eating Chitoi Pitha soaked in date palm juice. While the elders were busy taking a nap after a meal in the afternoon, a group of teenagers, covering their faces with sweaters and hats, would plan a picnic. Two handfuls of rice from this house and two chickens from that house—that was it. With these, they would start cooking on a handmade clay stove in the evening. Those evenings in the village, illuminated by the lights of kerosene lamps and lanterns, would come alive with gatherings for ghost stories. With a betel leaf box in hand, perhaps the elderly grandmother would become the center of attention at those gatherings. She would be surrounded by a group of grandchildren, visualizing the call of a mischievous ghost or, due to the intense cold, even shivering while sitting under the blanket.

Ambar Shah Mosque: A Mosque Intertwined with the History of Karwan Bazar

During the Mughal era, there was a security checkpoint in Karwan Bazar. At the entrance of the city, everyone was checked at this security checkpoint. Along with the checkpoint, there was a caravanserai. Most probably, over time, this caravanserai became known as Karwan Bazar.

In Karwan Bazar, the Karwan Bazar Mosque still survives. This three-domed mosque, built following the architecture of Subahdar Shaista Khan, the governor of the province, was once known as Khwaja Ambar’s Mosque. Khwaja Ambar was the chief khwaja of Shaista Khan. He built it around 1679-80, and in terms of antiquity, it ranks 22^nd among the mosques of Dhaka. Its main feature is the mihrab made of black stones, which were brought from Rajmahal in India.

Khwaja Ahsanullah had endowed some lands for the maintenance of the mosque. The local people once raised funds to renovate it. Khwaja Ambar is buried right next to the mosque. To reach Khwaja Ambar’s mosque, one once had to cross a beautiful bridge known as Khwaja Ambar’s Bridge. It was located beside the Sonargaon Hotel on the present-day Eskaton Canal. This bridge was also built by Khwaja Ambar. However, in the 1960s, the bridge was demolished during the widening of the present-day Mymensingh Road. 

Oenone is a melancholic heroine

“Oenone” is a very melancholic and sad poem. Oenone is the central character or heroine, and she is also a melancholic person. She suffers devastation because she was abandoned by Paris. Paris left her and decided to go after Helen, the most beautiful woman. As a result, Oenone became very depressed, and she complained to her mother; this poem is like a lament. Alfred, Lord Tennyson wrote this poem before 1833, and it was one of his earliest poems where he dealt with a Greek mythological character. Later, he also wrote “The Lotos-Eaters,” “Ulysses,” and “Tithonus,” all of which are based on Greek mythology.

In the poem “Oenone,” we find that Oenone is complaining to her mother about her suffering in life. She is a very sad character, and she narrates the entire story. The god Ares gave an apple to Paris, stating that he would be the judge. Three goddesses desired the apple, and it was up to Paris to decide who would receive it. Hera, the wife of Zeus, promised that if Paris gave her the apple, she would grant him power, making him ruler of the world. Aphrodite promised that she would give Paris the most beautiful woman in the world. Pallas was the third goddess who promised to give Paris knowledge and wisdom. However, Oenone wanted Paris to accept the offer of the goddess Pallas because knowledge and wisdom can make life beautiful. However, Paris was not interested, and he chose Aphrodite’s offer, which ultimately led to Oenone's suffering and destruction.

Tennyson used Greek mythology in a modern way and made “Oenone” a deeply melancholic poem. He portrayed Oenone as a sad woman who suffered injustice, and the poet wanted to draw the reader's attention to the sufferings of this beautiful character.

Life was not fair to Oenone, as she loved Paris deeply and was always faithful to him. In contrast, Paris was neither a good man nor a devoted lover. He easily abandoned Oenone for the promise of getting a beautiful wife. This betrayal was even more painful for Oenone because she was pregnant with Paris’ child, and he left her at the time she would give birth to their baby.

“Oenone” is a sad and painful poem that also conveys moral lessons. It portrays the injustice men have done to women throughout generations. What Aphrodite offered Paris was not love but a destructive temptation. 

Bangladeshi villages during winter season

Winter comes every year. The two months of Poush and Magh make up the winter season. Winter mornings remain covered with fog. Light begins to appear slowly on the eastern horizon. The morning dew falls drop by drop. Dewdrops sparkle on the grass. In the morning light, the tempting, sweet aroma of boiling date palm sap drifts from afar. On the village roads, farmers take their oxen toward the fields to prepare the land for sowing saplings. Meanwhile, in the mustard fields, the buzzing of bees starts.

In villages, the main attraction of the winter season is date palm sap. In the afternoon, sap collectors climb the date palm trees, cut a small portion of the bark, and tie an earthen pot with a rope beneath it. All night, the sap drips drop by drop and collects in the pot. People bring down the pots from the trees in the morning and collect the date palm juice. In villages, various types of traditional cakes, puddings, and sweets are made with date palm juice and newly harvested rice. Everyone, both young and old, enjoys eating these delicacies.

In the winter season, when evening arrives in villages, everyone lights a fire in the courtyard to warm themselves up. The adults often go to the local shops to have tea and chat about various topics. During winter, various types of fresh vegetables—bottle gourds, beans, radish, cabbage, yardlong beans, and different types of leafy greens—are found in villages. In winter, villages truly reveal many beautiful forms. 

Winter morning in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a country of six seasons. Each season is radiant with its own distinct characteristics. Among them, the winter season appears before us with a completely different atmosphere. Winter comes like a biting old woman, draped in the freezing cold winds from the north and a blanket of fog. For people, the main attraction of winter days is the winter morning. At this time, nature is surrounded by dense fog. The light of the new sun cannot penetrate the dense white curtain of fog and spread its radiance on the earth. In the cold wind, nature and the animal world start to tremble. That is why the poet Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore said,

“The winter breeze made the amalki dance on its branches.

The leaves rustled and fell rhythmically.”

The months of Poush and Magh make up the winter season. During this time, the dance of fog begins with nature. The cold winds from the north blow, and trees lose their leaves. The intensity of the river’s stream slows down. When everything is covered with thick fog in the winter morning, nature appears extraordinarily beautiful. In the pale nature, a silent beauty is seen on winter mornings. This beauty is somewhat abstract. Nature becomes engrossed in a strange stillness on a winter morning. When a traveler walks through the veil of fog, breaking the silence, it feels as if his body is shivering in the biting cold of winter. The picturesque scene of dew drops accumulating on tin roofs, tree branches, and grass tips is seen only on winter mornings. The dew drops glitter like pearls on the bosom of nature wrapped in a thin white sheet. Nature becomes refreshed. Yellow mustard fields and flower gardens buzz with the sound of bees. When the sun peeks through the veil of fog, the dew-soaked nature sparkles in the soft light.

Winter morning in city: The winter morning in the city is spent in a slightly different manner. The cawing of crows, rather than the chirping of various birds, may awaken city dwellers on winter mornings. Many city dwellers spend winter mornings sleeping, reluctant to leave the warmth of their blankets. Even those who must wake up early tend to rise late on holidays. As a result, city dwellers cannot enjoy the winter morning like rural people do. In the city, the asphalt roads are covered with fog, and dew falls as well, but the touch of dew-soaked grass, as in the countryside, does not stir the hearts of travelers. In winter, even adults hesitate to wash their faces with icy cold water, and children run away fearing it. City dwellers do not have the mindset to watch the sunrise, sunset, or the fog of winter mornings. For those accustomed to a robotic life, such things are merely matters of emotion. Nevertheless, urban residents greet the winter morning adorned in vibrant winter clothes. Wrapped in comfortable garments like coats, jackets, sweaters, hats, shawls, and mufflers, they head out to their workplaces on winter mornings.

Winter morning in village: In the village, winter morning creates a unique scene. Various types of vegetables are produced during the winter season. Fresh date palm sap is found on winter mornings. The sweet aroma of bhapa pitha increases the appetite in the winter morning. The impoverished villagers often lack warm clothes during the winter. They tremble in cold at night, and before the sun peeks out, it feels like morning is just about to arrive. The call for prayer (Azan) is heard from the village mosque, and worshipers from far and wide come to the mosque to say prayer breaking through the deep darkness. After eating a full meal of panta bhat (water-soaked rice), the farmers go to the fields to work on a foggy winter morning. They also go to the local market for shopping. The children go to the village maktab (a traditional Islamic elementary school) for their studies. When walking past the mosque or maktab, you can see the students receiving religious education in their loud collective voices. Their voices reach our ears. If it feels a little bit colder, the group of boys gather around the straw fire, roast the beans in the fire in the morning, and warm themselves by the fire.

Rivers on winter morning: During winter season, in our country, there is not enough water in the rivers during winter. During that time, the river offers an abundance of fish to catch. That is why, early on winter mornings, fishermen go to the river to catch fish. Although the fishing boats are only a short distance away, they remain invisible in the dense veil of fog. However, boats on long journeys, such as launches and ferries, struggle to navigate smoothly through that thick fog. Then, the cold wind blowing over the river brings a shivering chill that shakes one to the bone.

Main attraction of winter morning: The main attraction of a winter morning is the variety of traditional cakes. During this season, abundant date palm juice is available in villages. Early morning, earthen pots are brought down from the date palm trees. It feels wonderful to drink this fresh juice on a winter morning. As soon as the morning arrives, there is a rush throughout the villages to enjoy date palm sap pudding. The village children gather in groups, basking in the sun while eating puffed rice, crispy sweets, and various traditional cakes and puddings. The main attractions of this season are Chitoi Pitha and Bhapa Pitha. In addition, varieties of cakes are made in each household. That is why poet Sufia Kamal once said,

“During the Poush festival, sitting down to eat pitha, they are filled with joy,

and their excitement grows even more upon receiving their mother’s scolding.”

Happiness and sorrows on winter morning: There is no greater comfort than lying cozily inside a quilt or blanket on a winter morning. Having breakfast with various types of traditional cakes, winter vegetables, and more on a winter morning creates a sense of happiness among people. On the other hand, for those who do not have winter clothes to wear and sleep beside the road in the chilling winter air, winter mornings are full of hardship.

Disadvantages of a winter morning: On a winter morning, when the bone-chilling cold sets in, the villagers suffer from lethargy and melancholy. People’s enthusiasm for work comes to a halt. They feel like lying comfortably wrapped in quilts. Poor people suffer due to a lack of warm clothes. In the poet’s words, a prayer arises in their hearts:

“O sun!

Give us warmth and light in our damp, soaked home.” 

Disadvantages of moving vehicles: On winter nights or mornings, the environment remains foggy. As a result, nothing can be seen clearly from a distance, and it often seems there is nothing ahead except a white curtain of fog. During this time, road accidents occur most frequently due to moving vehicles. Similarly, issues also arise with the movement of launches and steamers on the waterways. It is better to avoid traveling on roads or waterways in foggy conditions.

Conclusion: Who doesn't love the touch of golden sunlight, damp with dewdrops, on a winter morning? With a mix of comfort and inconvenience, winter mornings fill our hearts with a unique sense of joy for two months each year. In the poet’s words, “a drop of dew on a single stalk of rice” illuminates the beauty of a winter morning. 

Victorian elements and ideas in Tennyson’s Oenone and Tithonus

Alfred, Lord Tennyson was the greatest poet of the Victorian age, and during his lifetime, he was more popular than Robert Browning and Matthew Arnold. One of the reasons for Tennyson’s popularity was his ability to capture the spirit of his time. In other words, he had a good understanding of what people thought during his lifetime. This made him very famous and successful. The two poems under discussion, Oenone and Tithonus, are based on Greek mythology. They also contain moral lessons, yet they reflect Victorian elements and ideas. As a result, these poems were fascinating to Victorian readers.

The Victorian age in England began with the reign of Queen Victoria. However, many people believe that it started slightly earlier with the Reform Act of 1832. Victoria ascended the British throne in 1837. It was a very important time for England for many reasons. There were political issues, as ordinary people were demanding voting rights and democracy. The British people witnessed significant changes in various fields, particularly in science and knowledge. It was a very unstable time, with many things happening in a short period. Tennyson himself was somewhat conservative and did not favor rapid change. Therefore, in Oenone and Tithonus, we can see Tennyson criticizing those who sought change too quickly or recklessly.

If we look at Oenone, we will notice that Paris neglected his devoted wife, Oenone. She was dedicated, loving, and caring toward Paris, but he did not reciprocate her feelings. When the three goddesses offered him three gifts, he chose not to select knowledge. In doing so, he neglected wisdom, an idea Tennyson strongly disapproved of. Tennyson, being a man who valued knowledge, wanted to emphasize the importance of education and intellectual growth.

Neglecting knowledge, Paris pursued beauty. He cared more for passion than for knowledge and logic. Oenone tried to reason with him using logic, but Paris refused to listen to what was right and rational. Tennyson may have symbolized the idea that if people prioritize passion and beauty over logic and knowledge, social disharmony and unrest will follow. As a result of Paris’ actions, Troy was completely destroyed in a devastating war.

In Oenone, Tennyson aimed to convey a message to the people of his time, particularly in Victorian England, emphasizing the importance of embracing knowledge over beauty. He suggested that individuals must be careful in their choices in life; otherwise, they will face suffering.

Tithonus conveys a different message for the Victorian people. Tithonus sought immortality and received divine blessings for it. This desire reflects a growing emphasis on science and knowledge. During the Victorian era, many scientists and scholars began to challenge Christianity and religion as a whole. The criticism of religion became so pronounced that Charles Darwin was able to publish his book, claiming that there was no God and that the Bible was fundamentally flawed. According to Darwin’s theory, human beings did not originate from divine creation but evolved through natural processes. Tennyson may have wanted to suggest that if we forget God and focus solely on science and knowledge, destruction may follow.

Tennyson also warned the Victorian people about their desires. The message of Tithonus can be summarized as: “Be careful about what you wish for.” He wanted to convey to his fellow countrymen that if they desired too much, like Tithonus, they would ultimately suffer. During this time, there was significant political activity, and ordinary people were demanding more rights and democracy. As a result, there was a great deal of violence during the Victorian age, and Tennyson was not someone who favored social anarchy.

I have already stated that Tennyson was not fond of rapid change in society. In Tithonus, he aimed to convey to his people that the natural way is the best way. Tithonus desired something unnatural—immortality—which ultimately led to his destruction and suffering.

In conclusion, I would like to say that in these two poems, Oenone and Tithonus, Tennyson conveyed important messages to the Victorian people.