In the hill, lake, and forest city of Rangamati, as well as across the three hill districts, the indigenous communities are celebrating the festival of life—Boisabi—to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new one.
This grand festival holds deep cultural and emotional significance for the indigenous people.
In different languages, it takes on various names: "Biju" in Chakma, "Boisu" in Tripura, "Sangrai" in Marma, "Bisu" in Tanchangya, and "Bihu" in Ahom.
This three-day festival is referred to in the Chakma language as follows: the first day is "Phul Biju", the second is "Mul Biju", and the third is "Nua Bhujor" or "Gojja Pojja Din".
For three days, a festive spirit sweeps across the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The indigenous communities of the hills celebrate their biggest social festival with great enthusiasm and grandeur.
To mark the beginning of Boisabi, a colorful rally was organized on Wednesday at the break of dawn by the Biju-Sangrai-Bisu-Bihu Celebration Committee in Rangamati.
On Saturday, a floral floating ceremony on the Kaptai Lake was arranged by the Tripura Kalyan Foundation at Rajbari Ghat at 6:30am and in the Tripura-populated neighborhood of Garjantoli at 8am.
On Tuesday, the traditional water festival and cultural program organized by the Marma Cultural Organization (MASS) will take place at the Bangalhalia Field in Rajasthali upazila.
Another cultural event is scheduled for April 19 at the Rangamati Stadium.
Boisu (Tripura community)
Among the religious and social festivals of the Tripura community, Boisu is the most important and colorful one. Celebrated over three days—two days at the end of the Bengali month of Chaitra and the first day of the new year—the Tripuras call the first day "Hari Boisuk", the second "Boisukma", and the third "Bisikatol".
On the first day, Tripura boys and girls gather flowers and decorate their homes. They clean and wear fresh clothes, walk through villages with baskets of paddy, and feed roosters and chickens. All domestic animals are set free early in the morning.
Boys and girls visit every home in the village, offering pithas (cakes) and, for the elders, alcoholic beverages.
From the first day, the "Goroya" dance troupes travel from village to village, performing in each household courtyard. This captivating dance is known as the Goroya or Kherebai dance, which includes 22 unique dance gestures.
A spear is carried on the shoulder of one dancer, with a piece of fabric tied to it. If the spear is placed in a household’s courtyard, the household must perform a ritual for the Goroya deity.
After the performance, the dancers are given gifts such as alcohol, chicken, or rice, and they bless the household in song. These offerings are later used in rituals dedicated to the deity.
Folklore says that if someone participates in this dance once, they must continue to do so every three years, or else they may face misfortune or even death.
This community dance can include anywhere from 16 to 100 or even 500 participants. Cultural activists and performers from across the country gather in the hill tracts each year to witness this mesmerizing tradition.
Sangrai (Marma community)
The "Sa" in Boisabi comes from "Sangrai", the Marma community's significant festival.
Sangrai is one of the Marmas’ largest social events and is celebrated according to the lunar calendar. It spans the last two days of the old year and the first day of the new one.
During Sangrai, young men and women grind rice flour to make traditional cakes.
The festival’s most iconic event is the water fight—now synonymous with Sangrai—where youths gather at a spot filled with water and playfully splash it on each other, soaking one another with joy and affection.
On this day, Marmas also visit Buddhist temples to listen to spiritual teachings.
One of their favorite games during this time is "Ghila Khela", played with tamarind seeds.
It is believed that the word "Sangrai" comes from "Sankranti", referring to the transition of seasons or years.
Biju (Chakma community)
The largest indigenous community in the Chittagong Hill Tracts is the Chakma people, and the Biju festival carries with it a unique charm and emotional resonance.
The first day is called "Phul Biju", during which flowers are collected and used to decorate homes, later to be floated in rivers.
Children wear fresh clothes and go from house to house, paying respect to elders and feeding chickens and ducks with rice.
A famous dish called "Pazon", made from a variety of vegetables and spices, is prepared in every home.
Children engage in games like "Ghila Khela" and "Gudu" (a version of kabaddi), light sky lanterns, and set off fireworks with great joy.
During Biju, no animals are killed. However, on New Year’s Day, feasts with meat and fish are common.
The belief is that eating well on this day promises a year of abundance and good food.
Each year, Boisabi returns, bringing a spark of life to the hills.
A sense of renewal awakens the indigenous spirits, and the entire hill region transforms into a grand fair of unity and celebration.