Courtesy: Dhaka Tribune | Friday, March 04, 2014
Many social organisations,
including clubs and associations in every indigenous village have also taken
massive preparations for celebrating the festival
A festive mood is prevalent in the CHT
districts as the indigenous people there are preparing to celebrate their
biggest social festival “Baisabi”.
Although the main festivities will begin
on April 14, people belonging to the Chakma, Marma and Tripura communities in
Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachari are now on a shopping spree. They are
preparing to serve guests and are arranging special sporting events ahead of
the festival.
Besides, many social organisations,
including clubs and associations in every indigenous village have also taken
massive preparations for celebrating the festival.
The acronym “Baisabi” stands for
Baisu-Sangrai-Biju. These are three different names of the same festival given
by three separate indigenous communities. The Tripuras call it Baisu while it
is known as Sangrai and Biju among the Marmas and the Chakmas respectively. The
main festival will coincide with Pahela Baishakh, a key festival celebrated by
the Bangladeshis on occasion of the beginning of a new Bangla year.
Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, Khagrachari
District Police Super Sheikh Md Mizanur Rahman said like previous years, they
had heightened security measures so that the indigenous people could celebrate
the festival joyfully.
During Sangrai, the Marma people, apart
from other activities, engage themselves in Jolkeli, a traditional event where
males and females sprinkle each other with water. They also arrange boat race,
better known as naukabaich, wrestling and many other events.
The Chakmas have a reputation for
involving themselves in fun and that is also reflected in their activities
during Biju. They prepare different palatable foods and light candles in the
names of gods and goddesses. They also observe religious rituals and pray for
peace, happiness and prosperity.
As for Baisu, it is more of a social
festival to the people of the Tripura community. They decorate their houses
with flowers, put on new clothes, and free domestic animals like cows, goats
and buffaloes in the early hours of the day. They serve guests with homemade
cakes and liquor.
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