The three-day long Boisabi Utsab, the biggest traditional festival for indigenous communities in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), has begun on Saturday morning amid great enthusiasm and festivity.
The cultural programme to celebrate Bangla New Year has begun by floating flowers in rivers in three hill districts -- Rangamati, Khagrachari, Bardarban.
The traditional fest was formally inaugurated by Japanese Ambassador Shiro Sadoshima on Friday evening in Khagrachhari.
The first day of the festival is called "Phulbiju" the second day is "Mulbiju" and third day or first day of the Bangla New Year is called "Gojya Pojya Din."
On the third day or Gojjya Pojjya Din or the first day of the Bangla New Year, they visit temples in a relaxed mood and invite each other for lunches. However, they do not perform any religious function at temples.
Of the eleven indigenous groups in the hill tracts, eight communities Chakma, Marma, Tangchangya, Tripura, Mro, Khumi, Khiyang and Chak celebrate the festival.
Tripuras call the festival as Boisuk, the Marmas as Sangrai and the Chakmas as Biju and the first 2-3 words of all the three names form the word 'Boisabi'.
The Marmas celebrate the Bengali New Year amid holding of 'Sangrai water festival' where the young boys and girls sprinkle water on each other.
