As much as we want to avoid, we are now faced with weddings that have layer upon layer of hullabaloo before the big day, to the extent that one often gets exhausted. More so for the bride, but not so much for the rebellious kind.

Eid day; the men, the women, and the children have all returned from Eid prayers. The butcher — amateur in all aspects — gets busy with his new found profession; he is the ubiquitous ‘butcher for a day’ on active service!

Motorbikes. Ever since someone figured out strapping an internal combustion engine to a bicycle made the whole balancing act of riding much better, motorbikes have brought thrills to millions and offered them an unbeatable mix of convenience, ease of use and freedom. While for many, it's just another mode of transport, the right motorbikes can inspire people to treat them as objects of desire. Let's dive in and find out what that right motorbike might be for you.

See if you can identify yourself with this scenario — you spent hours upon hours in gaming cafes instead of the O' Level classes you should have been in.

Of course, a timepiece provides the answer to the oft asked question, but is that their only purpose?

Winter accessories are all about bringing warmth to the ensemble. A man can bring the essence of warmth to his scent through fragrances that are defined by heavier and bold base notes like spicy, musky, woody and leathery aromas.

According to the sermons of Saint Augustine of Hippo, an early Christian theologian and philosopher, Jesus was born on the date of the winter solstice, an astronomical phenomenon which marks the day with the shortest period of daylight and the longest night of the year.

Sometimes we get carried away amongst all the chaos of a wedding. Be it with spending hefty sums on the dress, or going overboard with the invitation cards.

Mothers undoubtedly play a huge role in weddings, from giving that last nod of approval, to handpicking and perfecting every little detail. There is little they do not look over when it comes to their children's wedding.

We all see weddings as a great mother-daughter bonding time, but fathers have a big role to play here as well. Never underestimate the presence of a father-figure when big arrangements are underway. Since a wedding needs 'all hands on deck,' we have some guidelines to be that helpful hand as the father!

You have successfully popped the question and feel ecstatic. Well now the list of responsibilities only grows... better start prepping!

The final big day that you tie the knot on may look effortless in its execution, but only those who have been through these as brides or bridesmaids will truly know exactly how many things can go wrong. But having said that, being prepared is not all that difficult!

To say that times are confusing would not be an understatement. We are indeed struggling to create an unbiased environment for everyone to live in.

Pick up a notebook or your favourite note taking app and get busy. Carefully list out the budget, the venue, the dresses, where to go for the flowers, the makeup artists, caterers — everything that comes to mind should be listed.

Modern fashion and living are ascending the steps to embrace the senses, while providing the people with a platform of expression. The issue of sustainability and eco-friendliness are now highlighted more than ever; fashion and living too are now addressing these concerns.

When comparing dinner tables of a Bengali and a Westerner, it's hard to understand the importance of bread in our diet as ours mostly consists of rice. That's not to say that bread has no place here, as we have our own way, time and type of breads to consume, making it very much a part of Bengali diet and cuisine. Bread's significance does not merely lie in its many nutritional properties. Its history and significance in culture and different religions is enough to fill tomes in museums across the globe.

Fast forward to today, and you will see that love for traditional Bengali sweets is still going strong. Unfortunately, the only thing that seems to have changed is that we now have literally no time to dabble into the wizardry of sweet-making as the city life has its own set rules, which mostly do not include making desserts at home.

As the evening gradually flowed into the night, earthen lamps were burned and fairy lights bedecked buildings just like stars adorn the night sky. As the flames flickered in the wind, echoes of laughter and excited voices filled the air already laden with the smell of freshly made halwa-roti. The streets of Dhaka were getting ready to celebrate Shab-e-barat, the fabled night of fortune and forgiveness.

Shab-e-barat is approaching and your neighbourhood grocery stores are already stocked up with ghee and spices. The fish and bhortas of the last week are well behind, and rich sweet and savoury recipes are being dusted out.

My culinary experiments began at the tender age of seven, and involved puddings, singaras and vegetable rolls.