The spirit of Ramadan and Dhaka's traditional Iftar

The spirit of Ramadan and Dhaka's traditional Iftar

Faizul Khan Tanim takes a stroll down Chawkbazar of Old Dhaka and indulges in the spirit of Ramadan and Iftari

Indiscriminate screams - Boro baap er polay khay, thonga bhoira loiya jay... - these lines rhyme and literally means this item is consumed by the sons of the rich fathers', filling up brown-paper bags to take back home. And according to the thousands of Iftari connoisseurs, these are one of the sweetest lines or catch phrases they listen and experience with pleasure while in the Iftari capital – Chawkbazar of Old Dhaka.

This place throbs with noises of banging spoon on steel plates, many different colours and the aroma in the air of names of the most popular items like shahi jilapi, koyel pakhir roast, haleem and more. This is where Eid-Ul-Fitr festivity starts for many.

This famed item Boro Baap er Polay Khay (BBPK) is said to have started from the Pakistani period and now a registered item of the City Corporation as sported on drop-down banners by the two opposing groups of makers who are in a conflict on deciding who the real maker is - Selim Baburchi and followers VS Mohammad Salekin, who is said to have inherited it from his grandfather Kalam Mohajon.

Despite who the real inheritor of this traditional Iftari item, this muri bhorta (rice puff mix) is a heavy dosage of all the well-known kebabs – shutli, jali, tikia, shami, gurda, nargis and mixing ingredients like chhola (chickpeas); roast of chicken, duck, koyel, pigeon, beef and mutton; local fries like potatoes, eggs, lentil and onion paste mix (piyaju), aubergine (beguni) and more with 12 to 13 different kinds of spices and of course pure butter oil – and surprisingly it does not taste bitter because of the many spices and if one has it with haleem, it is quite extravagant. Plus, this reporter feels BBKP is an acquired taste as well.

This year, BBKP is Tk 300 per Kg from Tk 260 last year and they say that this price hike is due to the inflation and they are also producing in less quantity than last year since not everyone can afford bulk amounts of this tasty yet pricey product. The makers informed that the daily sales bounces between Tk 13000 to Tk 15000 during this month.

The stretch of Iftari market at Chawkbazar also has a large array of items but nothing unusual from the previous years and hence the food admirers believe that this place is more of a traditional venue than a place where chefs experiments or incorporates new items.

The food aficionados strongly believe that to experience Chawkbazar to the fullest, one has to be present there, see and then buy the items themselves. For them, the spirit of Iftar is breaking the fast with all the other people inside the mosque adjacent to the strip of Iftar market or on in the streets in front of the makeshift food stands.

As soon as the Maghrib Azan is recited from the local mosques during sunset, the ever bustling and busy Chawkbazar Iftar market quiets down to the most peaceful strip of landof land. Fruit juices, lemon sorbet or yoghurt based drinks like lassi and labang are prepared to break the fast and one would see 10 to 12 people is groups surrounding large dishes of rice puff mixes, exchanging smiling conversations and eating their heart out.

This rice puff mixes are exciting dishes and the contents vary and is not limited to puffed rice, chhola boot (fried and spiced chickpeas), ghoogni, egg, beguni, aloor chop (potato mash fry), piyaju, jilapi (sweet) - mashed into a single preparation with addition of mustard oil, green chillies, large dash of lemon squeeze, shredded coriander leaves up to the different types of kebabs – and the best thing happens when both flavors - hot (chili) and sweet (jilapi), meshed together, - burst into a unique zest in your mouth. Those 10 to 12 hungry men will decently share from that large bowl and this is what sets this place apart in its unique and traditional way from other parts of Dhaka during Ramadan.

This is the time no one is refused food and from a prince to a pauper, every single man or woman is asked to join the congregation. The streets become free of any traffic jams once Iftari starts and you are free to wander around close vicinity to experience the decorated Eid market as well.

An array of makeshift shops can be seen in Chawkbazar where popular Iftari items are sold and this year prices of them are a bit soaring than last year. While the shutli kabab is Tk 400 per Kg, leg of mutton roast is Tk 300 and chicken Tk 150.

Two oversized items which caught the attention of everyone are the Shahi jilapis and chicken cutlet and looks different costing Tk 120 per Kg and Tk 130 per piece. The makers smilingly says, “Not just the look, there is a secret ingredient for the taste as well”.

The beef kebab is Tk 10 per piece while Jali is Tk 20 and Tikka Tk 15. Another exciting item is Doi Bora and priced at Tk 100 per bowl of 10 pieces, firni Tk 40 per cup and one of the most delectable items of Iftari – mutton haleem is priced at Tk 40 for the smallest bowl and goes up to Tk 350 for the biggest.

If crunchy and munchy items are not what you want, the biriyani stalls are nearby. Nanna Miya's Morog Polau, Jhunu's Biriyani are some of the ever popular names where the Muslims throng to break their fast and it costs Tk 100 to 120 for a lovely meal.

Nowadays, due to heavy traffic jams and transport problems, it is not feasible for the ones who are fasting to commute up to Chawkbazar and buy these items and therefore, the tradition has been brought here in new Dhaka. One would see restaurants sporting signboards and banners sporting messages like Chawkbazar's traditional Iftari cooked by specialized chefs and some of the eateries in Gulshan does cater to a large number of food lovers who are satisfied with the Iftaris prepared in these restaurants.

A banker Himel Sarkar at the restaurant The Eight says, “This place had the largest variety last year and I literally had to fight to book a place for my family this year.”

While Himel remains satisfied, Mansur Islam (50) from Gulshan-1 believes: “Iftari and New Dhaka? They don’t even go together. For traditional and the real Iftar, one must always opt Chawkbazar because it is the best”.

“So indulge in the spirit of Iftari, health and happiness will be yours”, says the smiling fasting Muslims from Chawkbazar.

*To all my lovely foodies

** http://www.theindependentdigital.com/index.php?opt=view&page=38&date=2011-08-12