The Bangladesh Canada Association of Calgary organised a Winter Pitha Festival and multicultural programme at the Genesis Centre on Saturday, drawing hundreds of expatriate Bangladeshis along with members of Calgary’s wider community.
According to the organisers, the event was arranged to preserve Bengal’s culture, history and traditions for the younger generation growing up abroad.
The festival recreated the atmosphere of a rural Bengali winter celebration where pitha-puli is traditionally prepared using newly harvested rice. Expatriate families dressed in colourful outfits turned the venue into a vibrant reflection of winter festivities in Bangladesh.
Visitors enjoyed an array of pithas including chitai, patishapta, puli, gura, golap, pakan, bhapa and hridoy-haran. Many said the aroma and flavours brought back memories of similar gatherings in Bangladesh.
The day’s programme also featured popular Bangladeshi musician Shuvro Dev, whose songs from the 1980s and 1990s evoked nostalgia among the audience.
The event was attended by Member of Parliament Dalwinder Gill, MLA Irfan Sabir, MLA Gurinder Brar and community leader Aman Gill.
“It was a great day of culture and community, filled with vibrant performances that brought us together,” said MP Dalwinder Gill.
Bangladesh Canada Association of Calgary President Iqbal Rahman said the festival aimed to showcase Bengal’s history, traditions and heritage. He said it was encouraging to see people from different backgrounds join the celebration.
General Secretary Asif Hossain said expatriates miss Bangladesh during winter and the festival helped the community reconnect with its roots.
Cultural performances by Dr Rita Karmakar, Khalida Nasrin Bani, Riad Hasan, Keka Sengupta, Amiyo Murtaza and Shasti added variety to the programme. Cultural groups KAYA, Oikkotan, Vairobi and Abataranika also performed.
Channel i and Probas Bangla Voice were the media partners for the event.
Organisers said the Winter Pitha Festival serves as a cultural bridge for the diaspora, offering a reunion-like experience and inspiring the younger generation to remain connected to their heritage.
