Deshi Mishti and Pitha Utshob organized by Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC draws huge crowd

Washington: Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC put up a colorful display of traditional Bangladeshi Pitha(cake)and Mishti (sweet) with much enthusiasm and festivity on February 12. Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA and State Minister Akramul Qader and his wife  Rifat Sultana Akram inaugurated the gala organized  at the Bangabandhu Auditorium of the Embassy. The celebration, unique for its deeply rooted connections with Bengali culture and mindset, attracted an overflowing crowd comprising members of the Bangladeshi diaspora in greater Washington DC area. Officials from US State Department, other Agencies and members of different socio-cultural organizations were also present.

The festival was organized by the Embassy officials and the members of the Embassy families. Twelve stalls were erected which were named after popular Bangladeshi “Pithas” such as ‘Vapa’, ‘Patishapta’, ‘Malpowa’, ‘ Chitui’. Decorated with materials like wooden frames, bamboo poles and colored papers, the stalls created an ambience of a village fair in a foreign country. In an effort to acquaint the younger members of the community about how “Mishti and Pitha” became an integral part of Bengali dietary habit, and how the deft and fine crafts on their shape, size and outlook  evolved  over time, the Embassy showcased an audio-visual presentation at the Pitha Tathya Kutir(Cake Information Center) which was of special attraction specially  to the young Bangladeshi-Americans. The event, which is a part of the Embassy’s public diplomacy and outreach program to project Bangladesh’s rich culture and tradition to wider audience in the USA, received wide appreciation among the participants.