Pabna: In The Colours of Baishakh
Ashim Kumar Paul
Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bangla New Year, curves
out its distinction in the lives of the people of Bangladesh who wait for receiving
the hoary festivity. Tradition marks its idiosyncratic features in the trait of
Pahela Baishakh. Liveliness and enthusiasm of these
Baisakhi fairs pulls the people of various other communities, religion and
ethnicity towards itself. Like all other national
cultural festivity, it has significantly substantiated its importance and
interest to the common people especially to the young generation. It embraces
the traditional values as well as colourful image of our culture. In
conjunction with upholding our longstanding traditional heritage and culture,
the day arrives with the message of change for enlivening the youthful spirit. It
is a festival that surpasses religion and race, and unites every Bengali in its
celebrations. Pahela Baishakh is, in truth, about celebrating the simpler,
rural roots of the Bengal. It is a public
festival of the Bengalis that also marks a day of cultural unity without
distinction between class and religious affiliations.
The lifestyle
and cultural heritage of rural Bangla is showcased in the Baishakhi celebration.
On the very day, different socio-cultural
organisations sketch out elaborate programmes like musical events, colourful
parade and Boishakhi fairs across the country to welcome the Bangla New Year. The
streets are bound to be crammed with colours and other festive activities,
representing the different forms of Bengali culture and heritage.
Like every year,
Pahela Baishakh had been celebrated in Pabna district with the same zeal and
gusto this time to welcome the Bangla New Year 1420. Wearing
new dresses that highlighted the true essence of Bengali identity, people from
all walks of life gathered at the premises of Government Edward College
exchanging greetings with each other subsequent to
the rise of the sun to hail the New Year. To mark the day, Square
Consumer Products Limited organised a daylong event, crowded by myriad people
at the premise. The daylong programme was followed by
a musical concert where renowned singers like James, Porshi Mehrab, Nishita
Barua enthralled the audience.
Centering on the
event, a number of stalls initiated mostly by the students of the college were
built around the premises of the college. From the earlier day before Pahela
Baishakh, the stalls were seen ready to colour the day. Those stalls arranged
Panta-Ilish (Watered rice and fried Hilsa), drawing various coloured tattoos
etc. “Baishakhi Rong” was among the
stalls that organised a henna festival. Hasan Mahmud, a student of English
department of the college and the spokesperson of “Baishakhi Rong”
stall, informed that many enthusiastic students took part in the henna
festival. “The aim to arrange such an event is to guard
and uplift our national integrity, heritage and unity through
the time-honoured values. Traditional Bangla songs crooned by the singers of
Sahitya-Songskrito Kendro of the college, a musical soirée of folk song
were the key attractions on the day.” added Mahmud.
