“Festivals in Bangladesh” -can be described in a line, Baro Mashe Tero Parbon (বার মাসে তের পার্বণ). Literally that means thirteen festivals in twelve months. Bengalis are fond of festivals. They just need an occasion to celebrate. They enjoy every portion of any festival at the highest level.
Festivals in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is full of various cultures, religions and races. It is a country of colorful celebrations. Every individual ethnic group has its own cultural festivals. We have bought ten most popular festivals of Bangladesh at a glance. This is not a reflection of any kind of rankings but some random festivals from different cultures and beliefs.
Pohela Boishakh
Pohela Boishakh, the first day of Bangla calendar, is in the top of the list. Mughal ruler Akbar introduced it as a proclamation of tax collection.
No doubt Pohela Boishakh is the most popular festival of Bengali people over the world. This is not confined to Bangladesh only, also celebrated in a festive atmosphere in West Bengal, Assam and Tripura in India.
It is celebrated on 14th April across Bangladesh and 15th April in the states of India. People celebrate the festival with processions, fairs and family outings. The Faculty of Fine Arts, Dhaka University brings out a huge colorful rally which is known as Mangal Shobhajatra, The UNESCO has declared this festivity as a cultural heritage of humanity.
People dressed traditional saree and punjabi and visit their families and friends and spend time together during Pohela Boishakh. So, Pohela Boishakh is also known for uniting friends and family.
The celebration of Bengali new year Pohela Boishakh begins at dawn arranged by the cultural organisation, Chhayanaut. They welcome the year at Ramna Batamul under the banyan tree in the Ramna Park, with a rendition of Rabindranath Tagore’s song Esho He Boishakh. Bengali people usually start the day eating Panta Bhat, which is a rice-based dish from soaking rice, generally leftovers, in water overnight. It is popularly eaten with Hilsa Fish, various traditional Bhorta, and curries.
The day is a public holiday in Bangladesh.
Eid Ul Fitr
Eid ul Fitr is the most joyful occasion of all Muslims across the country. It is the first day of Shawwal month, which comes after the month of Ramadan, in the lunar Islamic calendar. In Bangladesh, people celebrate the festival by visiting friends and relatives in their ancestral homes in villages and towns across the country. They host food parties and share sweets with each other.
Every individual eagerly waits for sighting of the moon. After seeing the moon in the sky, children cheer out loud with eternal pleasure. A massive number of people gather to perform Eid prayer at mosques very early in the morning. Besides, TV channels and radio stations broadcast special programmes throughout the week.
Durga puja
Durga puja is one of the most awaited festivals of Bangladesh and some parts of India. It is the main religious and cultural festival of Bengali Hindus. They celebrate the festival across the country with great enthusiasm, religious passion and color festivity. There are very few ancient religious festivals which people celebrate in different forms and different times throughout the Indian subcontinent. But the pattern and time of the festival we see in Bangladesh and West Bengal of India is believed to be introduced by Raja Kansa Narayan, Raja of Tahirpur in Rajshahi Division of Bangladesh during the reign of Mughal ruler Akbar.
Durga puja is a ten day festival, where the last five days hold more significance. It is celebrated to glorify the victory of goddess Durga over Mahishasura -as per Hindu scriptures. Thus, the festival embodies the victory of good over evil, though it is also in part a harvest festival celebrating the goddess as the motherly power behind all of life and creation.
Pohela Falgun
Pohela Falgun is one of the most popular day in Bengali culture. It is the first day of spring. This day was celebrated for the first time in 1991 by the students of Dhaka University’s Faculty of Fine Arts. Though it is new to us, but has become an integral part of Bengali culture.
Generally, people welcome this day wearing yellow and white. Then, some girls beautify themselves with flowers and set flower crowns on their heads. Boshonto Eshe Geche, the beautiful song plays all over across the day. Meanwhile, cultural institutions arrange various programs to celebrate the day with great festivity.
Ekushey Boi Mela
Ekushey boi mela is an annual book festival in Bangladesh. It takes place for the whole month of February, arranged by Bangla Academy in Dhaka. It is the annual book fair of Bangladesh.
Ekushey boi mela is dedicated to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives on 21st February of 1952 to establish Bengali as one of the state languages of Pakistan. Later on, the UNESCO declared 21st February as International Mother Language Day.
Boi Mela started only as a book fair. But by time it has evolved into a national cultural festival reflecting the cultural spirit of Bengali nation. A large number of publishers open up thier shops as book stalls. During the fair, Bangla Academy premises and Suhrawardy Udyan have some massive gatherings of people everyday. On the other hand, writers, authors, poets, professors and anyone connected to literature, come to the place and visit book stalls. Fans collect their autographs on the books and have chats with them.
Share your experience of celebrating any Bengali festival with us