Choitro Shongkranti, the last day of Bangla calendar, will be celebrated today through a host of rituals across the country. This is an occasion when vows are made to forget the pains, agonies and bitter memories of the bygone year and look ahead to a happy and meaningful future.
Choitro Shongkranti has a distinctive colour of its own, but people regardless of their creed, religion and social status generally participate in the rituals and festivals observing the day, giving it a transcultural perspective.
One of the main rituals of Choitro Shongkranti is Charak Puja, a traditional Hindu festival organised on the last day of the Bangla month Chaitra. Hindu devotees believe that through this ritual they can eliminate their pains and sufferings of the departing year and be positive about the year they are about to enter.
The highlight of the ritual is the part where devotees portray God Shiva’s miracle by hurting their body parts but not expressing any pain. Usually 10-12 persons perform the ritual while one of them, the key performer, known as Deoboinshi, is tied to a hook on his back and moved around a sacred tree-trunk.
On this occasion, village fairs are also organised where toys, fruits and sweets as well as goods made of bamboo, plastic and clay are sold. Bioscope shows, puppet shows, acrobatic feats, kite flying and other displays also take place at the fair premises.
On the other hand, people in cities also organise programmes under the banners of different cultural organisations. Cultural programmes featuring dance, music and drama are held,
often at night so that revellers can stay up to see the first dawn of the Bangla year.
Indigenous people have their own ways of celebrating the year-end. “Baisabi” is the main festival of people living in the hill districts of Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari. While most indigenous tribes call the festival “Baisabi,” it is known by the Chakma and Tanchyanga tribes as “Biju,” by Marma tribe as “Shangra,” and by Tripura tribe as “Baisuk” or “Baisu.”
Members of Chakma and Tanchyanga tribes hold celebrations for three consecutive days – the last two days of Chaitra and the first day of Boishakh, the first month of Bangla calendar. They refrain from killing any living creature during these days. The last day of Chaitra is celebrated as the main festival day.
On this day, a mixed curry called Pachan is cooked with five types of vegetables. In the afternoon, teenagers play tug-of-war and traditional games. The Marmas celebrate Shangrai for four days and the most intriguing part of the event is the water-throwing ritual attended by young boys and girls.
They believe that doing so washes away all their sorrows, pains and bitter feelings. The members of Tripura worship God Shiva and pray for his blessings.
