Photo Feature
Baishakhi Kaleidoscope
Zahedul I Khan
Palash, bakul, chanpa – brings forth the news of Pahela Baishakh in the otherwise dull city of Dhaka, painting colours of red, white, indigo, mustard yellow and green in the hearts and faces of Bengalis. Be it young or the old, child or adult, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist or Christian – the joy of the Bengali New Year touches all – becoming the largest cultural festival of Bangladesh. For one day the hectic-plastic urban life is forgotten and people return to the folk traditions of panta-ilish, muri, murki, murali, churi, hatpakha and ektara. This year the entire capital has burst out in celebration holding fairs, cultural programmes and colourful parades not only in Ramna but other open spaces in the city.