WINTER HANGOUTS & PICNICS

Photo: Darshan Chakma

Winter arrived long ago and will pack up and leave very soon too, and we have been sitting at home unleashing the melancholic artists in us, because until very recently political catfight wouldn't let us out. Every once in a while, Sherlock's new episodes have been a respite, but now that's done too. And let's face it, winter isn't fun without some good old fashioned celebration out in the open with a fire and BBQ. So here we are with some feasible albeit unequal alternatives to the traditional camping and picnicking.
The easiest BBQs have always taken place on our front yards, balconies or roofs. Not everyone in Dhaka is lucky to have a front yard or garden to sprawl out their kitchen utensils at, but the roof usually makes do. Wrap yourselves in shawls and jackets and step upstairs, and find yourself a friend to help you carry all the equipments. He/she will be most useful when you realise every 5 minutes that you need 1 more onion or another brush for the oil. If there's a group of kids going berserk over the makeshift badminton court on the roof, just hand them a plate of grilled meat.

Photo: Daneesha Khan

Now, if you don't own a BBQ set, there's still a way out for you. Grab a few even bricks and a sturdy wire mesh, and you're pretty much set. Just make sure the mesh is clean and free of rust. It's always best to have someone experienced help you and your friends out if it's your first time, because after 3 hours of hard work, you don't want to be chewing on uncooked meat. He/she will help you with details such as fanning the coal. Cheap BBQ sets priced around Tk 450 can be bought from Karwan Bazaar, and coal can be found in Kathpotti area of Mohammadpur.
If you don't have the patience, energy nor the arrangements for a BBQ, you can still step outside, simply build a fire and have a good time with your friends. Grab some sandwiches, drinks and chips, and make yourself comfortable around a fire. It could be a bonfire on your garden or a small hobo fire on the roof. If you have an iron barrel lying around, you can build yourself a fire in it and release the spirits of the vagrant in you. Just make sure that you don't actually kill anybody or burn down the house. Sweep the base on which you want to build the fire clean (especially if it's your front yard or garden), and enclose it with layers of bricks or stones and create a pit to build the fire within. Place bricks under the barrel to avoid burning the floor. Keep your hands and faces out of the fire, and don't actually push your friend into it after getting carried away by all the threatening jokes. Get yourself marshmallows and sausages (both chicken and beef) and enjoy the fire in the chill of the night.
This can also be a great time for you to just set the tent up -- even if it is on the roof. For one night, cut yourself out of the electronic world and give in to a peaceful night of cards and chit-chat. If you don't have a tent and still want to stay out all night, no one says you can't. Bed-sheets and saris can be used to create a blanket fortress.
So get creative, party out in the open, and make the most of the beautiful Bangladeshi winter.

Photo: Daneesha Khan