Beat the heat with Puran Dhaka’s mixed fruit platters
With a target average serving time of 15 minutes, Crosta aims to cater to the fast-paced lifestyle of busy students and corporate officials
Last week in Dhaka, the sweltering heat climbed to 41 degrees Celsius, with Google Weather showing a 'feels like 42 degrees' temperature. But these were just numbers, unable to capture the full intensity of the oppressive heat. For me, someone who rides a bicycle, it was like wading through a furnace.
Every surface seemed to radiate waves of warmth. When I stood to pedal for a few seconds, even my seat became hot. It felt as though the sun's rays were mercilessly searing my skin and exacerbating my headache.
Even simply pedalling my bike became a laborious task, each stroke feeling heavier than the last. The asphalt road greedily absorbed and then expelled the heat — a loud announcement that summer had arrived in full force.
Weary and with forceful motivation, I went to Puran Dhaka for a work-related errand. And as I passed through Churihatta, I noticed a humble street stall situated just beside Chawkbazar Shahi Jame Masjid, adorned with an array of colourful fruits.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Normally, I would have avoided street food, but something about the freshness of these fruits caught my eye. Plus, I was tired because of the punishing heat and craving a snack in the afternoon. Approaching the vendor, Mohammad Babul, who has been selling fruits here for over three decades, and who added these mixed fruit plates to his menu over 10 years ago, I inquired about the price. "Tk40 per plate," came his reply.
A plate consisting of eight items — four pieces of watermelon, four cubes of muskmelon, four pieces of grapes, three slices of guava, three cubes of papaya, one slice of orange, one slice of pineapple, and one slice of beetroot — filled my stomach.
Ratan Shekh, a rickshaw puller, parked his rickshaw and eagerly picked up a plate. "It's a great option actually. I couldn't afford to buy all these fruits separately and try them all. Plus, it's healthier than other snacks," Ratan said, his enjoyment evident as he savoured the watermelon.
For Rifat Hossain, a student residing in a nearby mess, the street is typically his only source of fruit intake, unless he's at home in Cumilla. "Rarely do we buy fruits in the mess," he remarked. "So, I often come down here and have a plate of fresh fruits."
Even housewife Upoma Akter, who also resides in the vicinity, bought three plates of mixed fruits and packed them for home. "The most important thing is, there's no hassle of peeling, chopping, or slicing the fruits," she noted.
The seller, Babul, said that due to the increasing cost of fruits, he had to raise the price per plate. "Starting this year, it's Tk40 per plate. For the past five years, it was Tk30."
