Why criticise Pahela Baishakh celebrations?

The national celebration of the Bengali New Year is a relatively recent phenomenon. It started very modestly in the 1960s with musical groups, particularly Chhayanaut, rendering songs at Dhaka's Ramna Park under a huge banyan tree

Thankfully the first day of the Bangla New Year passed without any serious incident. The security measures taken by the concerned authorities certainly worked and people, braving the intense heat, came out in droves and enjoyed themselves with great enthusiasm. All the paraphernalia attached to the festival were there like the previous years.
A few days before the Pahela Baishakh, a campaign was launched by several organisations asking people to refrain from eating hilsha fish on the day. Over the last few decades, ‘ilish-panta’ has become a must-have on the day. However, this year even the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in order to discourage people from eating the fish, stated that she would not have this fish on the Pahela Baishakh menu.
The reason given for the anti-ilish campaign is that the fish is scarce in the season and if too many fish is eaten on the day it may in the future lead to even extinction of the species. So far so good. There is sound logic behind this argument. The only group of people who might have objections are the fish sellers. According to some reports, the price of the fish during this season was 25 per cent less than the corresponding period last year. However, when some pundits say that hilsha fish has nothing to do with our traditional celebration of celebrating the Bengali New Year, it makes one pause for a bit. Isn’t culture something that evolves over time? True it is 1423 according to the Bangla calendar; however, the celebration of Bengali New Year started in an urban setting only since the 1960s. The national celebration of the Bengali New Year is an even more recent phenomenon. It started very modestly in the 1960s with musical groups, particularly Chhayanaut, rendering songs at Dhaka's Ramna Park under a huge banyan tree. But later other elements like fairs were added which gave it a more festive ambience. The celebrations were a part of cultural revival and were critical in developing national consciousness during the country's nationalist movement in the 1960s. The celebrations got a different dimension after the liberation of the country in 1971. It was perceived as a vindication of the ethos for which the celebrations stood for. Popular participation also increased and so did the activities. The latest addition has been a masked carnival that goes around the Suhrawardy Uddyan. It adds vivacity to the great festivity.
True “traditionally” nothing remotely similar to the “Mongol Shovajatra” was seen during Bengali New Year celebrations. So there are many intellectuals who are saying as it was never held in the days of yore it should not be part of our Naba Barsha celebrations.
Well in the same token some others can argue that since Rabindranath Tagore was born 155 years ago–and the Bengali calendar is in existence for 1400 plus years–Rabindra Sangeet should not be part of Bengali New Year celebrations. Chhayanaut was established only in 1961 so what has their event anything to do with tradition. Well doesn’t it sound absolutely ludicrous?
Over the years the musical renditions by the organisation have become an integral part of the celebrations. And so have Mongol Sobhajatra and the alpanas. Chhayanat has taken great pains and has shown formidable courage in ensuring that it remains completely secular, non-sectarian and apolitical. They have therefore consistently and very successfully resisted the attempts, overt and covert, by politicians to use the powerful Borsho Boron platform to convey political messages.
Yes the law enforcement authorities can indeed ask people to not wear the masks for security reason. However to say the rally itself has little to do with our culture is simply foolish. The Institute of Fine Arts’ 'Mongol Shobhajatra', which started in 1989, was an expression of protest against the autocratic regime of HM Ershad. And Chhayanot arranging celebrations in Ramna, starting from 1967, also was a testament of protest against the Pakistani oppressors. Pahela Baishakh had simply become a revolt in art form, a craft in aesthetics, and a journey towards identity. Pahela Baishakh, I believe, is the greatest secular celebration in this country.
Since 2001, when a bomb blast at Ramna Batamul killed 10 people and injured many more, the celebration grounds are scanned extensively and fool-proof security is ensured. But this has not dampened the spirit of the Day. Rather, people have turned out in greater numbers, since then, to register their protest against the evil-doers and uphold the spirit. As the years go by, the Baishakh festival is likely to take on different forms in line with the prevailing cultural ethos of the time. But the spirit will live on. To find the roots of our nation through the different rites, rituals and festivals that has defined this culture of ours.
It is a pity that a few orthodox Muslims in our country, out of sheer ignorance, look down upon this Nababarsha festival, simply because they consider it to be a festival of non-Muslim origin. And it is this element who consistently frowns upon the Mongol Sobhajatra and other paraphernalia, which have now become part and parcel of the New Year. As a matter of fact, fundamentalists have claimed that it is un-Islamic to celebrate the Bengali New Year. Fundamentalists do not try to hide their hatred for the celebrations at Ramna Batamul. It is this hatred and hostility that led the extremists to bomb the celebrations in 2001. Ironically it is their hostility to Bengali culture is a prime reason why fundamentalism has never gained much popularity among Bangladeshis. There is no doubt that Bangladeshis are religious people and religious faith is an important article of most Bangladeshis' identity. However, Islam, which was introduced to the region by Sufi missionaries, has long been syncretic and liberal. The Islamic extremists have declared war on all this (it should be remembered that they bomb the shrines, too) in their attempt to impose a more rigid and conservative doctrine on the nation. The overwhelming majority of the Muslims of this country think that the idols and masks carried by people during Pahela Baishakh celebration have nothing to do with religion. These symbols are part of the overall festival. The magnificence of this day is the magical fairytale of being happy and content with ethnicity, connecting and celebrating the same roots of ethnicity everywhere. All prejudices cease to exist.
Incidentally in Iran, Iraq, and a number of Central Asian countries, Nawroz  (Persian New Year) has been celebrated for at least 3,000 years and is even today rooted in the rituals and traditions of the Zoroastrianism. Nowruz has been celebrated since long before the Islamic lunar calendar had even existed. Therefore, Nowruz remains deep in the heart of rich history as a symbol of pre-Islamic Persian identity. And in Iran too after the fall of the Pahlavi regime, mullahs have attempted, in vain, to disgrace the observance of Nowruz as “un-Islamic.”

The writer is Assistant Editor of The Independent and can be contacted at: [email protected]

Why criticise Pahela Baishakh celebrations?

The national celebration of the Bengali New Year is a relatively recent phenomenon. It started very modestly in the 1960s with musical groups, particularly Chhayanaut, rendering songs at Dhakas Ramna Park under a huge banyan tree

Thankfully the first day of the Bangla New Year passed without any serious incident. The security measures taken by the concerned authorities certainly worked and people, braving the intense heat, came out in droves and enjoyed themselves with great enthusiasm. All the paraphernalia attached to the festival were there like the previous years. A few days before the Pahela Baishakh, a campaign was launched by several organisations asking people to refrain from eating hilsha fish on the day. Over the last few decades, ilish-panta has become a must-have on the day. However, this year even the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in order to discourage people from eating the fish, stated that she would not have this fish on the Pahela Baishakh menu. The reason given for the anti-ilish campaign is that the fish is scarce in the season and if too many fish is eaten on the day it may in the future lead to even extinction of the species. So far so good. There is sound logic behind this argument. The only group of people who might have objections are the fish sellers. According to some reports, the price of the fish during this season was 25 per cent less than the corresponding period last year. However, when some pundits say that hilsha fish has nothing to do with our traditional celebration of celebrating the Bengali New Year, it makes one pause for a bit. Isnt culture something that evolves over time? True it is 1423 according to the Bangla calendar; however, the celebration of Bengali New Year started in an urban setting only since the 1960s. The national celebration of the Bengali New Year is an even more recent phenomenon. It started very modestly in the 1960s with musical groups, particularly Chhayanaut, rendering songs at Dhakas Ramna Park under a huge banyan tree. But later other elements like fairs were added which gave it a more festive ambience. The celebrations were a part of cultural revival and were critical in developing national consciousness during the countrys nationalist movement in the 1960s. The celebrations got a different dimension after the liberation of the country in 1971. It was perceived as a vindication of the ethos for which the celebrations stood for. Popular participation also increased and so did the activities. The latest addition has been a masked carnival that goes around the Suhrawardy Uddyan. It adds vivacity to the great festivity. True traditionally nothing remotely similar to the Mongol Shovajatra was seen during Bengali New Year celebrations. So there are many intellectuals who are saying as it was never held in the days of yore it should not be part of our Naba Barsha celebrations. Well in the same token some others can argue that since Rabindranath Tagore was born 155 years agoand the Bengali calendar is in existence for 1400 plus yearsRabindra Sangeet should not be part of Bengali New Year celebrations. Chhayanaut was established only in 1961 so what has their event anything to do with tradition. Well doesnt it sound absolutely ludicrous? Over the years the musical renditions by the organisation have become an integral part of the celebrations. And so have Mongol Sobhajatra and the alpanas. Chhayanat has taken great pains and has shown formidable courage in ensuring that it remains completely secular, non-sectarian and apolitical. They have therefore consistently and very successfully resisted the attempts, overt and covert, by politicians to use the powerful Borsho Boron platform to convey political messages. Yes the law enforcement authorities can indeed ask people to not wear the masks for security reason. However to say the rally itself has little to do with our culture is simply foolish. The Institute of Fine Arts Mongol Shobhajatra, which started in 1989, was an expression of protest against the autocratic regime of HM Ershad. And Chhayanot arranging celebrations in Ramna, starting from 1967, also was a testament of protest against the Pakistani oppressors. Pahela Baishakh had simply become a revolt in art form, a craft in aesthetics, and a journey towards identity. Pahela Baishakh, I believe, is the greatest secular celebration in this country. Since 2001, when a bomb blast at Ramna Batamul killed 10 people and injured many more, the celebration grounds are scanned extensively and fool-proof security is ensured. But this has not dampened the spirit of the Day. Rather, people have turned out in greater numbers, since then, to register their protest against the evil-doers and uphold the spirit. As the years go by, the Baishakh festival is likely to take on different forms in line with the prevailing cultural ethos of the time. But the spirit will live on. To find the roots of our nation through the different rites, rituals and festivals that has defined this culture of ours. It is a pity that a few orthodox Muslims in our country, out of sheer ignorance, look down upon this Nababarsha festival, simply because they consider it to be a festival of non-Muslim origin. And it is this element who consistently frowns upon the Mongol Sobhajatra and other paraphernalia, which have now become part and parcel of the New Year. As a matter of fact, fundamentalists have claimed that it is un-Islamic to celebrate the Bengali New Year. Fundamentalists do not try to hide their hatred for the celebrations at Ramna Batamul. It is this hatred and hostility that led the extremists to bomb the celebrations in 2001. Ironically it is their hostility to Bengali culture is a prime reason why fundamentalism has never gained much popularity among Bangladeshis. There is no doubt that Bangladeshis are religious people and religious faith is an important article of most Bangladeshis identity. However, Islam, which was introduced to the region by Sufi missionaries, has long been syncretic and liberal. The Islamic extremists have declared war on all this (it should be remembered that they bomb the shrines, too) in their attempt to impose a more rigid and conservative doctrine on the nation. The overwhelming majority of the Muslims of this country think that the idols and masks carried by people during Pahela Baishakh celebration have nothing to do with religion. These symbols are part of the overall festival. The magnificence of this day is the magical fairytale of being happy and content with ethnicity, connecting and celebrating the same roots of ethnicity everywhere. All prejudices cease to exist. Incidentally in Iran, Iraq, and a number of Central Asian countries, Nawroz (Persian New Year) has been celebrated for at least 3,000 years and is even today rooted in the rituals and traditions of the Zoroastrianism. Nowruz has been celebrated since long before the Islamic lunar calendar had even existed. Therefore, Nowruz remains deep in the heart of rich history as a symbol of pre-Islamic Persian identity. And in Iran too after the fall of the Pahlavi regime, mullahs have attempted, in vain, to disgrace the observance of Nowruz as un-Islamic. The writer is Assistant Editor of The Independent and can be contacted at: [email protected]