Scholastica's Wizard of Oz

GROWING up all of us has heard myriad tales starting from Rapunzel, the girl who had hair as long as a tower, to Cinderella, the girl who left her shoe behind. While these were the characters most commonly known to everybody, there were characters from stories not as popular as the aforementioned ones. Dorothy is one of these characters from the children's tale the Wizard of Oz written by L. Frank Baum. Not as popular as Rapunzel or Cinderella yet most people have heard of her at least once or twice. It was this character and her story that the students from Scholastica portrayed in their school play of the Wizard of Oz.

A performance of the Wizard of Oz was organised by the senior section of Scholastica community at its STM Hall last Thursday. The play was performed by 5 girls and it was given a semi-musical touch with a group of girls dancing at the end of every other scene. The play started with a tornado taking Dorothy to the Munchkin Country in the Land of Oz where she is presented with a pair of red slippers, by the Good Witch of the North, as her house fell on the Wicked Witch of the East, thus killing her. She was then told to find the Wizard of Oz who would help her get back home. On her way to the Emerald City Dororthy came across the Scarecrow, TIN Woodman and Coward Lion along with whom she went in search of the Wizard of Oz.

A huge puppet was used to portray the giant head of the Wizard which was quite fascinating. And, the Wicked Witch of the West fit her role perfectly with a cackling laughter. While every character was performed by only one actor, the main character of Dorothy was actually played by three different girls. Overall it was a pleasant play to watch and the children acted well and seemed to enjoy themselves thoroughly.

By Karishma Ameen

Fruity fruits

The taste of lichus as you peel off its prickly maroon skin and pop one of them in your mouth will transport you into a virtual heaven on this mortal earth. The bare names of boroi, kamranga, jambura, amra, chalta, lotkon, kodbel will water your mouth until it gets hard to keep it open. Whether you get to eat the sticky yellow insides of our national fruit jackfruit or the reddish orange flesh under the green mango skins, Bangladesh is a country where you will get to satisfy your culinary cravings in any kind of fruitful way you want.

By Shamsil B. M. Kamal

Speaking In Tongues

Despite the small dimensions of Bangladesh, the diversity in the dialects of different regions is exceptional. There is variation in terms of pronunciation, phonology and vocabulary. Some dialects, particularly the ones spoken in the border-regions, are so dissimilar that they are often considered as different languages: for instance the 'Siloti' and 'Chatgaiiya' languages. The change in speech is noticeable across just a few miles; one notices that almost every district has its characteristic dialect and even within that there are differences noticed amongst different communities present there. Sadly, though, there are some dialects like the 'Bikrampuri' which are disappearing.

By Sarwat Yunus

Doi and Khirsha

The district of Bogra is famous for its numerous dhodi bhanders where skilled men prepare two versions of sweetened yoghurt - doi and khirhsa. While doi has been made elsewhere, the original taste and flavour of made in Bogra doi remains unrivalled. But the overwhelming popularity of doi has deprived our taste buds from the mouth watering world of khirsha. Khirsha is made from milk concentrated by repeated boiling and the filling inside the patishapta is actually a liquefied form of khirsa. The timeless taste of the soft, clay coloured consistency of nutritious doi and khirsha are experiences unique to Bangladesh.

By Nayeem Islam

Serene Countrysides

Dhaka sometimes may seem dreary, over populated and dusty but step outside to the countryside and natural, unspoilt beauty awaits you. Grab a backpack, your toothbrush, a change of clothes and take a trip around Beautiful Bangladesh, 'the school of life', and you too can learn a thing or two. There's plenty of ways to get around on a budget - buses, trains, ferries, boats, cars the possibilities are endless! Adventure waits for those who crave it right in our very own backyard. The rolling tea gardens and mountains of Sylhet, the Sundarbans of Khulna, the hills of port-city Chittagong, the peace and quiet of Rajshahi etc. There is also the beauty of Bandarban, Rangamati, Bogra and Cox's Bazar just waiting to be seen.

By Musarrat Rahman

Sari that Beautifies

Photo: Tania Shukrana

There's not a dame who doesn't look better ten folds in a sharee. And boy, oh boy, how many types of sari are there? Muslin may have disappeared in the vortex of time, but Dhakai Jamdani still continues the glorious past. So do the tatis of Tangail, craftsmen of the Katan sari in Mirpur, of fine silk of Rajshahi, Khadder sharee, and the ever- famous Benaroshi sari. With exuberant colours, fantastic designs and varieties, sari can truly intensify the beauty and elegance of the women folk in Bangladesh.

By Jawad

Urban Blossoms

Sure, flower shops are everywhere, but there aren't many places where you can find flowers you don't even know the names of at all hours. You don't even have to step out of your car to take a whiff of the most gorgeous seasonal flowers. We might not have the greenest of capitals, but our streets are full of flowers thanks to numerous street sellers who make our streets a teeny bit more colourful.

By Orin

Photo: Zabir Hasan

The Country of Flags

Bangladesh is beautifully different in more aspects than one. Come football seasons, when the World Cup reaches fever pitch, it is hard to come across any locality which isn't sporting the flag of the nation they are rooting for. Even in the most remote places of Bangladesh, one doesn't seem too surprised to find the waving flag of Argentina or the green and yellow silhouette of Brazil against the blue sky of our country. We, as a nation, are football crazy. The best expression of this would simply be a picture of the Savar skyline. Standing on the bridge dividing the two sides of the cities, one can see numerous flags, dancing in the wind on both ends. It is often difficult to imagine that one is in his Bangladesh and not some place in Buenos Aires. Indeed, nothing even comes close to making the city as colourful as the FIFA World Cup, as the country collectively becomes the Country of Flags.

By Osama Rahman