Agricultural festival of Bangladesh

Folk festivals originate from religious rites to appease gods and other unseen powers. In agricultural Bangladesh, as in other agricultural communities, such festivities are closely related to farming and cattle-raising, to human and crop fertility.

The prehistoric cult of sacrificing maidens and other humans at festivals to appease nature and the sun god have long disappeared.

The traditions of other festivals are still alive but have undergone considerable changes.

Being predominantly an agricultural land, Bangladesh has several festivals related to farming. A number of these festivals call upon the sun god or the rain god to give rain. Among these festivals are byanbiye, badnabiye, megharani and hudmadeo rites and punyipukur brata and basudhara brata. In Huduma Deo rites groups of aboriginal women go into the fields at night, undress, and sing in chorus imploring the rain god, Huduma, to bestow rain. A mud festival is also held to invite rain

In this festival, women, carrying water pitchers, go around houses smearing mud on each other. Kulanamano is another rain- inducing ritual in which women carrying decorated kula or winnowing fans go round houses singing songs inviting rain.

Ambubachi is a special folk festival of the Hindus. It is a three-day ritual observed by women beginning on the seventh day of Asadh. It is believed that during these three days there occurs a union of the sky and the earth and this drenches the earth to make it fit for farming. It is forbidden to dig or plow during this period. Hindu widows observe some restrictions during these days. Special foods and rice cakes are prepared during this festival.

Berabhasan or raft festival is celebrated wherever there are large waterbodies. It is held on the last Thursday of Bhadra in honour of khowaj-khizir (installed in place of the water god Varuna). It is arranged both on social or family initiatives or by the community of fakirs. During Mughal rule, it used to be observed with great pomp at Murshidabad, Rajmahal and dhaka at the initiative of nawabs or naib-e-nazims. In patronising it, Mukarram Khan, Nawab sirajuddaula and Mir Qasim played prominent roles. It was through their patronage that this folk festival developed into a national festival. In this festival a banana plant is felled at one blow and made into a raft. A variety of sweet offerings are placed on it and then, as people sing, it is pushed into the water to drift away. It is believed that this observance will provide protection against drowing.

Chadak Puja is an important folk festival of the Hindus. It is held towards the end of Chaitra and the beginning of Baishakh. This is more common in the areas of faridpur and barisal, which were Hindu majority areas. Mela or fairs lasting for two or three days are held on this occasion.

Gasbi an autumn festival is observed to ensure a better harvest. The observance starts on the last night of the month of Ashvin. The next morning, the first day of Kartik, a shundi (a sweet-smelling root) paste is made of green turmeric and mustard oil which is then dabbed on paddy plants in the hope of a better crop

In the past people would cook food on the last day of Axvin and eat it the next day. This custom was followed because of a folk saying that if one cooked food in Asvin and ate it in Kartik, his wishes would be fulfilled. This festival is no longer in vogue, due perhaps to climatic change.

Navanna is a special folk festival. It used to be observed with a lot of fanfare after the new crop came home in the month of Agrahayan. Before sunrise on the day of the festival, children would recite rhymes inviting crows to their houses: 'Ko ko ko, today there is a new rice feast in our house/ come and eat food made of new rice/ crows get a kick/ ravens get bananas/ ko ko ko, our house has a new rice feast today'. On this day new rice is pounded in a dheki, or husking pedal. A hole is dug in the courtyard, into which a live kai fish is put with milk. A bamboo pole is fixed in the hole. Around the pole, called bir bansh, alpana is drawn with rice paste. At every joint of the bamboo a sheaf of new paddy is tied. Then some rice, a banana and a coconut sweet are offered to a crow. The flight of the crow is closely watched. It is believed that the fortunes of the year depend on the course of its flight. This ceremony is called kakbali. No one takes food before concluding this ceremony and offering puja and food made of new rice to Laksmi, the goddess of crops, and to the crow. On this day every family prepares delicious dishes. People may eat navanna in another house during the day but they must eat at home at night. Navanna is wound up the next day with basi navanna, which means eating the left-overs. Muslim families also celebrated navanna. They too used to make offerings in the name of Laksmi. They called it nayakhaoya or new food. Navanna continues to be celebrated all over Bangladesh today.

Pausparvan/posla is a crop festival. In the evening boys would go around singing, Muslim boys singing songs of Manik Pir and Hindu boys reciting rhymes to Laksmi. They would visit different houses during Paus, collecting money for festivities. On the last day of the month, they used to cook food in a field or near a forest and, after offering cakes or sweets to the pir or the goddess, partake of the food themselves. This was also known as pithaparvan or cake festival. These days Pausparvan is celebrated more in the cities than in the villages.

Tusu and bhadu festivals in West Bengal are also based on farming practices. Even today these are celebrated quite colourfully. Hindu women of Purulia district worship Bhadu during the month of Bhadra. An elderly woman throws flowers at the image of goddess Bhadu while others sing Bhadu songs. On the concluding day they watch with tearful eyes the immersion of the deity.

Karam festival of the oraon tribe is celebrated at the end of Bhadra. It is dedicated to the worship of the karam tree. In the north it is also called bhadaiparva, barsaparva etc.

This festival is an occasion for teenaged Oraon youths and maidens to dance, sing and drink. All these festivities are not merely to worship the karam tree but in fact to create an atmosphere for the young Oraon to exchange expressions of love. Preparations for the occasion are made during the previous night.

The youths fast the whole of the next day. In the evening they gather round the karam tree. The women sing and both men and women dance.

Editor: John Li