Seeking World Peace, ‘Biju Festival’ Begins in Bangladesh’s Hill Districts
This festival of saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming the new year is known as the festival of life for the hill people
By Bhanu Ranjan Chakraborty
DHAKA: The three-day ‘Biju festival’ of the Chakma community in Bangladesh’s Rangamati and Khagrachari hill districts began on Sunday, April 12. The festival is celebrated to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new year. The festival began in the morning by floating flowers in various reservoirs including local rivers and mountain springs.
Locals said that the first day of this festival of the hill community is called ‘Phul Biju’. On this day (Sunday), houses are decorated along with worship to the deity. Men, women and children of the Chakma community pray for a beautiful world by floating flowers.
On this occasion, they wear traditional clothes and join the festival. This morning, the farewell and new year festivals of various ethnic groups began with floating flowers in various rivers and mountain streams including Kaptai Lake in Rangamati.
In addition, numerous local people gathered to float flowers in the Chengi River of Panchhari Upazila of the district. They said, “We all floated flowers in the river together and wished for happiness and peace for the coming days, and prayed for world peace. Several hundred men and women joined the festival and prayed here.”
At that time, a local public representative said, the Biju festival has been going on since ancient times. Biju means joy and festival. This festival creates bonds of brotherhood. This festival establishes peace in the society.
This festival of saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming the new year is known as the festival of life for the hill people. They get dressed up in the colors of the festival. The biggest social festival of the various ethnic groups living in the hills is known as Biju, Sangrai, Bishu and Bihu.
Different communities celebrate these festivals with their own names, according to their own culture and beliefs. On the first day of the main festival, after floating flowers in the river, the young and old take blessings from the elders of the family.
On this morning, the Chakmas bathe the Buddha statue and worship it. The guest reception period begins on the second day. On the third day, animals are fed and blessings are taken from the elders.
On the first day of the new year, the Chakmas pray at Buddhist monasteries. On this day, traditional food is served, as are various types of pithas (cakes).
However, although the main festival is celebrated on the last two days of the month of Chaitra and the first day of the month of Baishakh (the first month of the year), the festival continues throughout the fortnight in the hilly villages.
