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Down to Earth

Winter Scenarios In City Life

By A S M Nurunnabi
When the heat of summer, rains of monsoon and humidity of autumn recede, we are pre seated with varieg./.r' . tiar los of winter in our city life. The wide spectrum of life in this season covers many aspects. Beside the medley of colours and joys which this season brings about, there are strains of distress and suffering affecting the poorer city dwellers, as with similarly circumstance people m other areas, on account of the rigours of cold.
In winter there comes a marked change in our outlook food and dress. An urge for outdoor activities seize even the introverts. For the extroverts the opportunities are unlimited. In out ethos of life, enjoyment of our leisure outdoors as a form of entertainment has a low priority. Perhaps there are several factors for this change in outlook. climatic conditions being one of them. Just as migratory birds in response to a natural urge fly out from cold regions to warmer climes, a similar instinct in a somewhat reverse order also seems to influence our people here normally subject to high temperature in other seasons. In a tropical countrv like ours, the sun is looked upon with unfriendly eyes except during prolonged spells of rainy days when one pines for the sun with all heart. The situation dramatically changes on the onset of winter.'
At this time we come across a colourful spectacle. Makeshift markets selling old warm .clothes sprout in large numbers
In manv areas of the city. This, however, shrouds an unedifying aspect of our social life. In summer, the poor sections of our people can make do with the minimum of clothing, but in winter, though not so severe in most parts of the country, these people, particularly the children and the aged, heed thicker covering especially at night and until the warmth of the sun's rays come to their relief.
There are rows of shops in several city areas. Nilkhet for instance, which specialise in making quilts, mattresses and pillows. The motley materials out of which these are fabricated present an eye-catching vista. In front of some shops, quilts arc in the process of being made in colourful fabrics on the pavements in front. As they take shape, it appears as if the pavements are covered with colourful carpets. Ready-made pillows in multi-coloured fabrics on display in front of the shops for sales heighten the colourful effect in the area. Side by side with the multifarious arrangements made by city dwellefs who can afford them, we notice a contrasting picture in many areas of the city of people of indigent and shelterless classes sitting in groups and trying to keep themselves warm by kindling impromptu fires with straw, waste paper, discarded wood pieces, etc.
With the advent of winter, the picnic season starts In this season, one finds fleets of buses and cars racing down the high-
ways fairly early in the morning fitted with microphones blaring popular film songs. The arrival of the blithesome season of picnics seems to affect all-young and old. A flurry of activities goes on all around in this connection. Educational Institutions, government and private organisations and even some whole localities become alive in preparation for the festivities. The festive spirit gen erally assumes two aspects: private and corporate. Trie private aspect has a limited scope, but the corporate one creates intense interest, hilarity and boisterousness One can hardly blame the citizenry of Dhaka where scope of innocent and fairly cheap recreation is very limited. This year, because of Ramadan, the season Is cut down, which will cause more rush for finding the picnic spots in a truncated season.
Such temporary burts of seasonal care-free merriment and abandon help to create much-needed breaks from the humdrum pattern of normal life, infusing it with new zest and energy springing from contacts with nature In glorious verdant settings.
The reiltal of winter scenar ios in city life may be incomplete without mention of our leaning towards some change in our culinary regimen, inspite of our urban proclivities, in favour of indigenous pithas and pulls of various kinds which have significance in our age-long social ethos.