The Santal indigenous community has welcomed spring in a festive manner through “Baha Porob,” their traditional spring celebration festival.
Baha means flower in the Santal language, for which the festival is also known as festival of flowers.
The festival took place in a field located near a Santal village in the Katabari union of Gobindaganj in Gaibandha on Tuesday.
The Baha Porob celebration community organized the festival jointly with Obolombon, a non-profit organization, while the festival was powered by the United Nations Development Program.
People of the Santal community joined the festival with enthusiasm. Santal women wore flowers, and danced and sang which created the festive mood.
There was feast for the guests, followed by the formal ceremonies of the festival.
Besides villagers, various Santali cultural groups and artistes performed on the occasion. Everybody was mesmerized by their performances on Santali music and dance.
The program was presided over by Philemon Basak, president of the celebration committee. Gaibandha-4 MP Monowar Hossain Chowdhury was present on the occasion as chief guest while municipal Mayor Ataur Rahman was present there as special guest.
Shankar Pal, a scholar of indigenous groups, advocate Sirajul Islam Babu, researcher Kerina Hasda, Prisila Murmu, Naren Basak, president of Pargana Parishad were also present during the festival, among others.
