Thousands of people, mainly the students and commoners had enjoyed the day-long cake festival at Government Lalon Shah Degree College at Harinakundu of Jhenaidah on Thursday. The day was also meant for the concluding ceremony of annual spots and literacy and cultural competition of the college. About a hundred types of cakes was displayed on decorated plates by the students marking the festival.
A degree student Anwar Sadat Upam said their cake stall was enriched with 25 types of cakes like Ilish (hilsa), nakshipitha, Bhapapitha, Chhandpitha, shamukpita, patisapta, sarishabharta, chicken grill, malai roll and others. His associates Rabiul, Shimul Hossain, Rafin, Samanta, Nasrin, Farzana, Usha, Jesika, Tanmoy and Ovi among others participated in the work. They along with their respective family members had helped make the cakes at home, Upam said.
Other students said they had prepared bhapa, puli, rajdulari, chitoi, dudhpayesh, jamaipitha, chandpitha, simpitha, panpitha, bakulpitha, phulpitha, kadampitha, dudhgolap and some other varieties and displayed the same at their stalls titled nakshipakan, labangalatika, sugar-mixed cake, rasamanjury, balishpitha, poushali parban, rasherhari, pitha utsab etc. They had offered the same among their teachers, students and guests who had admired the initiatives of the festival.
Sunita Karmakar, a local housewife who was visiting the festival with her child when contacted said she was crossing the road and entered there to enjoy the pitha (cake) as it was a delicious food for her family for decades together. The festival had recalled her past memory at parents’ house as well maternal uncle’s house (mamabari) and her childhood, Sunita Karmakar said.
Acting principal of Government Lalon Shah Degree College at Harinakundu and Chief patron of the programme, Sarifuzzaman, when contacted said they had tried to involve the people of all walks of life at the college campus when to strengthen social bond marking the annual sports and cultural events. Spread the spirit of Bengali Culture was one of the most objectives of the festival as his college was named after nature poet Lalon Shah.
He was very pleased and excited to witness huge crowd who enjoyed solo acting, Tagore’s song, Nazrul geeti, Lalon songs, patriotic songs, poem recitation, debating, quiz, long run, short run, jump and so, acting principal Sarifuzzaman said.