Fairs and festivals have always played a significant role in the life of Bangladeshis. While most of the festivals have sprung from religious rituals, the fairs have their roots in the very heart of the people, irrespective of religion, caste or creed.
Pahela Baishakh or Bengali New Year
-What will you see in the streets?
At the crack of dawn, you will wake up to singing, processios, fairs, vendors selling steamed rice cakes, flowers garlands, fried snacks and traditional handicrafts.
-Fashion of the day:
White saris with red borders, red flowers in their hair.
-What else is going on besides food and song?
Tournaments and boat races.
Now for some history:
600 years ago, the Mughal Emperor Akbar got together with his buddies and standardized the Bengali Calendar. It was inspired by the ancient sub-continental calendars. The start date of the Begali calendar was made to coincide with the start date of the Islamic calendar (i.e. the date of Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) Hijra). The Bengali calendar is a solar one which is composed of six seasons that revolve around the region's agricultural cycle.
Pawhela Falgoon
Another traditional day (though not a national holiday) is Pawhela Falgoon, the first day of spring, which is observed across the country through traditional festivities and colourful programmes. Spring fairs, cultural programmes and exchanges of greetings and gifts among friends and beloved ones mark the day. People from all walks of life tthrong the venues of different programmes wearing colorful dresses including traditional 'spring sarees' and 'Panjabi'. Other programmes of the day include exchange of flowers, gifts and 'Rakhi-Bandhan', and poetry recitations.
Independence Day
March 26 is the day of Independence of Bangladesh. It is the biggest state festival. This day is most befittingly observed and the capital wears a festive look. It is a public holiday. The citizens of Dhaka wake up early in the morning with the booming of guns heralding the day. Citizens including government leaders and sociopolitical organizations and freedom fighters place floral wreaths at the National Martyrs Monument at Savar. Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and other socio-cultural organizations hold cultural functions. At night the main public buildings are tastefully illuminated to give the capital city a dazzling look. Similar functions are arranged in other parts of the country.
21st Feb, the National Mourning Day and World Mother Language Day
21 February is observed throughout the country to pay respect and homage to the sacred souls of the martyrs' of Language Movement of 1952. Blood was shed on this day at the Central Shahid Minar (near Dhaka Medical College Hospital) area to establish Bangla as a state language of the then Pakistan. All subsequent movements including struggle for independence owe their origin to the historic language movement. The Shahid Minar (martyrs monument) is the symbol of sacrifice for Bangla, the mother tongue. The day is closed holiday. Mourning procedure begin in Dhaka at midnight with the song Amar vaier raktay rangano ekushay February (21st February, the day stained with my brothers' blood). Nationals pay homage to the martyrs by placing flora wreaths at the Shahid Minar. Very recently the day has been declared World Mother Language Day by UNESCO. The background to the proclamation of the International Mother Language Day was a proposal from Bangladesh at the UNESCO General Conference in Paris on 17 November 1999 to declare 21 February as an international day on the ground that on this day many had sacrificed their lives for their mother tongue. It was argued that, since the languages of the world are at the very heart of UNESCO's objectives and since they are the most powerful instruments for preserving and developing the tangible and intangible heritage of nations and nationalities, the recognition of this day would serve not only to encourage linguistic diversity and multilingual education but also to develop a fuller awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world and to inspire international solidarity based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue.
Eid-e-Miladunnabi
The festival of Eid-e-Miladulnabi is also popularly known as Barah Wafat the twelfth day. Barah or twelve, stands for the twelve days of the Prophets sickness. Eid-e-Miladunnabi is the birth and death day of Prophet Muhammad (s). He was born and died the same day on 12th Rabiul Awal (Lunar Month). The day is national holiday, national flag is flown atop public and private houses and special food is served in orphanages, hospitals and jails. At night important public buildings are illuminated and milad mahfils are held.
The celebrations of birthday are subdued as the day also happens to be the death anniversary of Prophet Muhammad. The day is marked by holding religious discourses, reading the Holy book of Quran and giving alms to the poor.
Eid-ul-Fitr
The biggest Muslim festival observed throughout the world.
It is often abbreviated as simply Eid, is an Islamic holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. Fitr means "to break the fast" and therefore symbolizes the breaking of the fasting period. In Dhaka big congregations are held at the National Eidgah and many mosques.
Worshippers greet and embrace each other in a spirit of peace and love after the congregational prayer. After the special prayers, festivities and merriment are commonly observed with visits to the homes of relatives and friends to thank God for all blessings.
It is a day of forgiveness, moral victory, peace of congregation, fellowship, brotherhood and unity.
Eid-ul-Azha
Second biggest festival of the Muslims. It is held marking the Hajj in Mecca on the 10th Zilhaj, the lunar month. Eid congregations are held throughout the country.
It is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims worldwide as a commemoration of Ibrahim's (Abraham's) willingness to sacrifice his son Ismael for Allah. Animals are sacrificed in reminiscence of Hazrat Ibrahim's (AM) preparedness for the supreme sacrifice of his beloved son to Allah. It is a public holiday.
Muharram
Muharram procession is a ceremonial mournful procession of Muslim community. A large procession is brought out from the Hussaini Dalan Imambara on 10th Muharram in memory of the tragic martyrdom of Imam Hussain (RA) on this day at Karbala in Iraq. Same observations are made elsewhere in the country.
Durga Puja
Durga Puja, the biggest festival of the Hindu community continues for ten days, the last three days being culmination with the idol immersed in rivers. In Dhaka the big celebrations are held at Dhakeswari Temple, where a fair is also held and at the Ram Krishna Mission.
The familiar sound of Dhak, Dhunuchi nachh, the mild fragrance of Shiuli, gives a familiar tug at every Bangali heart.
The Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad is one of the largest bodies overseeing the annual celebrations across the country. Unlike in India where politicians usually keep a low profile at the pujas, in Bangladesh Durga Puja is a major occasion for leading politicians of the major political parties to to reach out to their Hindu constituents.
The last day of Durga Puja, Bijaya Dasami is a national holiday in Bangladesh, and all government offices and most private companies remain closed.
Christmas
Christmas, popularly called "Bara Din (Big Day)", is celebrated with pomp in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country. Several day-long large gatherings are held at St. Mary's Cathedral at Ramna, Portuguese Church at Tejgaon, Church of Bangladesh (Protestant) on Johnson Road and Bangladesh Baptist Sangha at Sadarghat Dhaka. Functions include illumination of churches, decorating Christmas tree and other Christian festivities.
Rabindra & Nazrul Jayanti
Birth anniversary of the noble laureate Rabindranath Tagore on 25th Baishakh (May) and that of the National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on 11th Jaystha (May) are observed throughout the country. Their death anniversaries are also marked in the same way. Big gatherings and song sessions organized by socio-cultural organizations are salient features of the observance of the days.
Rabindranath Tagore, a true internationalist in spirit and a firm believer of universal humanism, he toiled hard to promote and propagate the Bengali language and literature in the world stage which eventually led to his winning of the Nobel prize for literature in 1913.
Tagore is the writer of our national anthem while National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam is famous as a Rebel Poet.
Langalbandh Mela:
At a place near Sonargaon (about 27 km. from Dhaka) a very attractive festival observed by the Hindu Community every year on the last day of Chaittra (last Bengali month) - mid April, when the devotees take religious bath in the river. Community every year on the last day of Chaittra (last Bengali month - mid April). Devotees dip in the river to ceremonialy cleans themselves of all sins.
There are various other festivals that are habitually observed by Bangalees all the year round.
