Zakir Azad, Cumilla

Winter's spring pie sales boom in the alleys and streets of Cumilla Once upon a time, there was a boom in eating winter pies in different parts of Gramganj.

Over time, people in Gramganj have forgotten it. Now it's a different picture At the beginning of winter, there is a boom in selling various pies, including bhapa, chitai and bara (oil) golgola, on various sidewalks in the city and in various upazilas. People of all ages and professions flock to the shops selling Bahari Pitha soon after the winter evening to taste the pitha. Going to Sarojmin, it can be seen that the city's streets are bustling with the sale of bhapa and khula pitha on the sidewalks and at intersections in various alleys and streets including Shasngacha, Dharmapur, Daulatpur, Racecourse, Police Line, Kandirpar, Jhautala, Rajganj. Along with bhapa pitha, chital (chitai) pitha is also being sold.

These pitha sales especially increase after the evening. Most of the shops are selling pitha by men, women and young boys and girls from low-income families. Pitha sellers Shahidul, Abdul Jabbar, Kala Mia, Mariam Begum, Arju Akhter said, "We are busy with various household chores all day long, and in our free time, we get busy making pitha in the afternoon to earn extra income." These pithas are made with great care for the customers using fresh rice flour and fresh date molasses. Coconut and date molasses are used to make the pithas more delicious. In addition to steamed pithas, chital (chitai) pithas are made for the customers. These pithas are sold for 10 taka per pitha. 7 to 10 kg of rice pithas are sold every day. In addition to the winter chital (chitai) pithas, a filling of chilli, mustard, sutki and coriander leaves is given free of charge.

In this regard, Joynal Abadin, a resident of the police line, said that in winter, low-income people make various stoves with earth and make and sell pithas of different flavours using rice flour, coconut and date molasses. People go to eat these pithas with cereals from afternoon to 10 pm.

Muka Mia, who came to eat pitha, said that I come to eat open pitha almost every day, but I like the dry filling. Many people like me go to pitha shops in the evening to eat pitha. In this regard, Shahidul Islam, a pitha seller from Kurigram, said the police line that I sell pitha for 5/6 thousand to 7/8 thousand taka every day.

Out of this, I make a profit of 14/15 hundred taka. I have 2 extra people working in my shop and selling pitha on their daily wages, so I am doing well. And I can educate my children and run the family well.