Kathin Chibar Dan begins at Rangamati
Thousands of Buddhist devotees throng Rajban Bihar to join the festival
Kathin Chibar Dan, the biggest religious festival of the Buddhist community in Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) region, began yesterday at Rajban Bihar in Rangamati town.
Chakma Raja Devashish Roy inaugurated the two-day programme through opening the bain ghar (sewing room) and spinning wheel at Rajban Bihar at 3:00pm.
Kathin Chibar Dan (offering of robe woven with hard work) is an annual religious festival during which Buddhist devotees offer manually woven robes to monks.
“Every year we arrange Kathin Chibar Dan with religious fervour. In line with our tradition, we follow this bain (manual weaving and sewing) method,” said Raja Devashish Roy.
Such festivals help Buddhist devotees to learn reverence, patience and tolerance, he added.
Bishakha, a nurse of Gautama Buddha, introduced the event about 2500 years ago, by offering him a kathin chibar (robe woven with hard work).
Thousands of Buddhists from three hill districts of CHT region have started arriving in Rangamati town to join the festival.
“Like every year, the district administration has arranged adequate security measures on the occasion. We hope that our programme will be end peacefully,” said Goutam Dewan, president of Upasok-Upasika Karjonirbahi Parishad, at Rajban Bihar.
Amiyo Khisa, secretary of the Parishad, and Susmita Chakma, its information and publicity secretary, were present at the inaugural function, among others.