Brisk trade for pitha makers as winter sets in

Thousands of makeshift pitha stalls – mostly run by women – are witnessing brisk business riding on high customer demand across Dhaka as winter sets in. Many of these stalls are seasonal only, and can be found in nearly every roadside and intersection in the city.

Pitha is a type of cake that can be sweet or savoury, usually made from dough or batter which is then steamed, fried or griddled. There is no better way for city dwellers to have a taste of authentic village food than eating pitha hot from a stall.

It is a profitable business venture too, insiders say, adding that depending on the location, a stall owner in Dhaka can make as much as Tk 2 lakh during the five months of winter. An unofficial estimate puts the number of temporary stalls in the city to 50,000 during winter.

Peak season for pitha business begins near the end of October and continues throughout February.

The most common types are Bhapa Pitha, Puli Pitha, Shemai Pitha, Chitoi Pitha, Patishapta, and Nokshi Pitha. Among those, Chitoi Pitha and Bhapa Pitha are the most common and popular in the streets of Dhaka because they are easy to prepare, and require less time and ingredients.

Nurul Huda, 55, sells pitha with his wife Asma Begum, 43, near the Bot Tola in the city’s Tejgaon Industrial Area. They have a designated spot on the street, and every evening the couple arrives with stoves, wood, plates, spoons and all the pitha making ingredients such as flour.

They also bring different types of chutney – known locally as bhorta – to serve with Chitoi Pitha.

Speaking to The Business Post, Nurul said, “I initially began with a capital of Tk 3,500, and already managed to recover my investment and turn a profit. Aside from individual customers, my pitha has a high demand in local industries and offices. They almost always buy in bulk.

“I sell more than 500 pitha per day for Tk 5 each. I earn around Tk 2,500 daily, and can bear the expenses of family pretty well with this income”

Behind every successful man, there is a woman and I strongly believe this fact because without my wife, I wouldn’t be able to run this business so the equal credit goes to her too’, thanking his wife Asma Begum, Nurul Huda added.

A customer named Proloy Biswas said, “I, along with my friends, visit Baily Road every day to have Chitoi Pitha with different chutneys such as shutki bhorta, morich bhorta, and shorisha bhorta. We really like the taste of these items.

“Sometimes we have competition among ourselves to see which one of us can eat the largest amount of Chitoi Pitha.”

Another pita seller of Baily Road Mofizul Islam said, “Last year I could not make any profit because of Covid-19 restrictions, but my profits during the pre-Covid period was satisfactory. I made around Tk 2 lakh in profits during the five months of winter in 2018.

“My business is going well this year, and I am optimistic about turning a hefty profit.”

Kulsum Begum, a pitha seller located near the Mohammadpur Bus Stand, said, “Every year during winter I sell Bhapa Pitha and Chitoi Pitha. But I could not do so last year because of the pandemic lockdown.

“I sell betel leaves throughout the year, but start a seasonal pitha selling business during the five months of winter because it is far more profitable.”

Similar to Kulsum, most of the pitha sellers get involved in various low-paid professions throughout the rest of the year. The taste pitha comes as a breath of fresh air for many city dwellers, and nostalgia for others, as these items have deep roots in Bangladesh’s culture.