Not just in the appearance, the beauty of a place or area lies in the attributes that are exclusively unique to that area. Things as simple as the food of an area can make it stand out from other areas and can give you enough satisfaction/reason to fall in love with the entire place. When it comes to Barisal, there is not just one but multiple such elements that confiscate your senses and ultimately makes you fall in love with the place. Here are five reasons to love Barisal.
Language
It’s almost magic how a language can evoke all sorts of emotions. Psychologists have even found a relationship between these two, calling language a fundamental element in emotion. Language is constitutive of both emotional experiences and perception. In that sense, the way Barisal people speak their language is captivating. To many, it may feel otherwise but the sound of the language has a unique rhythm to it. Experiencing Barisal people talking in their native tone feels affectionate, a bit more cordial, pure, and closer to the root. Language may seem like an odd thing to love an area for but when it comes to Barisal, the native tone of the language becomes one of the reasons to love Barisal for sure.
Food
Barisal offers an assortment of food consisting of those that originated from here and outside the zone. But what is unique about these is the making process and the local touch that they put in almost every cuisine. Even a bowl of seemingly not so appetizing looking vegetables can make your mouth water and crave for more. From fish curry to different meat items, the locals put their magical touch to everything they cook. One of the most delicious and definitely most popular dishes is “Shorshe Ilish” or Mustard Hilsa curry. It is not unique to this region but it’s the taste that makes it unforgettable.
But aside from that, other local cuisines of Barisal such as “Biskee” a dessert item made from rice, and different types of local sweets are something to die for. There are a lot of coconut items as well that are unique to the area. All in all, it is the food that gives you all the reasons to love Barisal.
Rivers and boat ride
Most probably no other areas of Bangladesh are as dependent on rivers as Barisal. It epitomizes Bangladesh being a riverine country. The waterway in Barisal span 433 nautical miles that take up 6% of the total area of Barisal. The views of the rivers are astonishingly beautiful. It is sensational to watch the sun going down on the horizon from the Meghna river. Other than Meghna, there are Arial Khan, Kirtankhola, and Kalijira rives that surround and slit the area into many parts. But you have to take a ride on a boat through these rivers to experience the ultimate beauty of Barisal. How can’t river and boat ride be two of the reasons to love Barisal?
Floating guava market
The largest guava garden in Asia is developed near the border of Jhalakathi, Pirojpur, and Barisal. And at Bhimruli over the Kritipasha canal in Jhalakathi is one of the country’s most scenic and largest guava markets. Although the origin of the market is still unknown, locals say that it has been around for a long long time. When the season starts in July, the entire market area becomes a sight to behold till the month of September. This alone is enough to make anyone fall in love with the area and definitely amongst the reasons to love Barisal.
Dipaboli festival
For over a century, the devotees of the Hindu religion has been observing the Maha Shamshan Dipabali fest (the festival of light) in Barisal. But that is not the interesting thing about it. It is about the sheer magnitude of the festival that takes place every year. Being the country’s largest Dipabali festival, it’s sentimental value transcends even the country barrier. People from outside the country come to Barisal to take part in the biggest Dipabali festival. Thousands of people from different parts of the country turned up at the area with flowers, foods, lamps, and candles to attend the festival. Suddenly the entire area lit up with the warm lite of the lamp as a symbol of solidarity and a victory over darkness. Of all the reasons to love Barisal, this definitely stays on top.
With an abundance of natural beauty, Barisal is one of those districts that can truly be called the prodigy of nature. But there is so much more to love about Barisal than one can ever put into words. Visit the city yourself to experience all the true beauty of the city.
